A recent study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution highlights the unexpected thriving of coastal marine invertebrates on plastic debris in the North Pacific, leading to the formation of new neopelagic communities. Conducted by researchers from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the University of Hawai‘i, the study found that over 70% of plastic debris examined was colonized by diverse coastal species, significantly outnumbering open ocean species. This phenomenon suggests that long-established biogeographical boundaries in marine ecosystems are rapidly changing due to plastic pollution in subtropical gyres. Researchers analyzed 105 plastic samples collected by The Ocean Cleanup during 2018 and 2019, discovering 37 coastal invertebrate species that not only survived but also reproduced on the debris. This indicates a paradigm shift in our understanding of coastal species’ distribution, emphasizing the increased risk of invasive species spreading to vulnerable ecosystems such as Hawaii’s fragile reefs. The findings underscore a significant knowledge gap regarding rapidly changing open ocean ecosystems and the urgent need for enhanced high-seas observation systems to monitor these transitions. The study was funded by NASA and Life in Moving Ocean.
