Sep 3, 2024
There is no ecosystem on Earth immune to the threat of invasive species. They can even reach the frigid ice and stone fields of Antarctica. But the 5,500,000 square miles of glacial vistas at the world’s southernmost point have likely faced a barrage in recent years of foreign species. They are, a new study shows, hitching rides on plastic.
A rising amount of plastics and other trash in the oceans means there are likely more chances for foreign species to reach Antarctica, Dr. Hannah Dawson wrote in a statement. If those species settle and breed in Antarctica, marine ecosystems there could change greatly, she warned. Dawson is the study’s lead author. She's a University of Tasmania professor.
For now, most of the invasives that worry ecologists are small invertebrates. But even those could upset fragile systems. They could prey upon native plankton. They could alter water acidity levels. They could also crowd out native species and use up resources. In the past, new species could reach the region by hitching a ride on floating kelp or seaweed. But that tends to grow closer to Antarctica. Plastic debris could come from any place in the Southern Hemisphere.
"(Think about) dropping a stick into a river and then running downstream to see where it ends up," Dawson told Phys.org. "That's (like) what we do with our modeling," Dawson said. Her team studies simulated ocean currents.
Dawson ran thousands of trials. She used wave data from 1997-2015. She showed that Antarctica is likely facing a “constant bombardment” of plastic. Thus, it's likely facing waves of invasive species, too.
Reflect: What action would you choose to take to protect a special place you love from unwanted changes, and why?
Gif of Antarctica from GIPHY.
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