Zooplankton, consuming plastic videotaped

The problem of the large number of plastic waste in the ocean is often mentioned in the media, but its solution is given insufficient attention. Meanwhile, because of the plastic marine animals die, the plastic waste is almost everywhere, and in some regions of the ocean swim the whole island of plastic.

Large marine animals suffer because of the plastic, for various reasons. Some animals ingest plastic (such as seabirds), and then die because of the blockage of the stomach. Many fish and marine mammals fall into traps like the old fishing nets floating. But in addition to large animals and micro-organisms are affected - for example, zooplankton. Recently, the Internet a video showing how копеподы (A type of zooplankton), passes through a plastic.

However, the video was shot not in their natural habitat - the scientists смоделировали situation , typical for the oceans and seas, using microscopic (7-30 microns) particles of fluorescent polystyrene, plastic wrapping plankton. It is worth mentioning that this is not divorced from the reality of the situation - in the water in many areas of the oceans and seas mikrochastichek a lot of plastic, which is split over time.

Typically, most zooplankton species eats algae. At the same copepod is quite well developed sensors that help determine the "edible" for the type of algae. However, the organisms pass through a plastic mikrochastichki apparently mistaking them for food. Special harm such particles do not cause the body to copepod, but in some cases the passage of plastic on the body the body slows down. And in the case of plankton delay of a few days - it's exhaustion and starvation. Plus, algae, also enter the body copepod, start slowly digested, which means that the body gets fewer nutrients.



In the end, all this has a negative impact on the survival of the population.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/253136/