On the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, scientists find a surprise ...
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Greg Ruiz
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Scientists have documented more than 40 coastal species clinging to plastic trash, including mussels, barnacles and shrimp-like amphipods, said Greg Ruiz, a senior scientist with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and an author of the report. The scientists found that a mix of coastal and open ocean species have joined together on the plastic — creating something entirely new. Certainly the potential is there.” The proliferation of plastics on land along with more frequent and intense coastal storms because of climate change could send more waste into the ocean, creating additional habitat.The islands of plastic could also become temporary waystations that harbor invasive species, only to spit them out as currents shift and send them floating away to islands or shorelines that don’t often receive hideaways from other coasts.
As said here by https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/great-pacific-garbage-patch-scientists-find-surprise-coastal-life-rcna7292