Helena Joyce
Marine animals are facing a growing threat to their survival due to the increasing pollution of the world's oceans. The ocean is being inundated with two main types of pollution: chemicals and trash, with the latter predominantly consisting of plastic waste. This waste comes from a variety of sources, including littering, storm winds, poor waste management practices, runoff from farms, and even natural events such as tsunamis and hurricanes. The impact of this pollution on marine animals is twofold. Firstly, animals can become entangled in plastic debris, leading to injury or death. Secondly, they may mistake plastic waste for food, ingesting it and suffering health consequences such as intestinal injury, starvation, or the absorption of toxic chemicals. This plastic ingestion is not limited to a few species but has been observed in a wide range of marine animals, from seabirds and sea turtles to apex predators such as great white sharks and orcas. With billions of pounds of plastic ending up in the oceans each year, the survival of marine animals is at stake, and some species are even at risk of extinction.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Marine animals ingest plastic | Sea turtles, seabirds, fish, whales, plankton, molluscs, sharks, orcas, and other marine mammals are among the species that ingest plastic. |
| Marine animals get entangled in plastic | Sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals get entangled in plastic, which can cause suffocation, starvation, and drowning. |
| Marine animals are affected by chemical pollution | Marine mammals are sensitive to noise pollution caused by activities such as ocean drilling, marine exploration, and ship traffic. Chemical wastes can also cause skin irritation, infection, and poor health in marine mammals. |
| Marine animals are impacted by nonpoint source pollution | Agricultural runoff, industrial waste, and plastic pollution are examples of nonpoint source pollution that can harm marine animals. |
| Marine animals are affected by habitat destruction | Coral reefs, which provide habitat and food for many marine animals, are vulnerable to plastic pollution and pathogen growth. |
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What You'll Learn
- Marine animals ingest plastic, leading to health issues and death
- Animals mistake plastic for food, causing choking and internal injuries
- Plastic waste encourages the growth of pathogens in the ocean
- Marine mammals are sensitive to noise pollution, which alters their behaviour
- Chemical waste affects marine mammal health, causing skin irritation and poor health
Marine animals ingest plastic, leading to health issues and death
Marine animals are ingesting plastic, which is leading to health issues and death. The ocean is vulnerable to plastic waste, with plastic pollution reaching every corner of the marine environment, from the deepest point of the Mariana Trench to coasts and even uninhabited islands. Marine animals, from seabirds to molluscs, fish, and marine mammals, are ingesting plastic, both directly and indirectly, leading to a range of health issues and, in some cases, death.
Seabirds, such as albatrosses, fulmars, and shearwaters, are among the most affected by plastic pollution. Small plastic fragments that float on the water's surface resemble small fish or algae, which seabirds typically feed on. When ingested, these plastics can lead to starvation or suffocation. Some species, like petrels, struggle to regurgitate plastic, and it has been observed that adult birds pass ingested plastic on to their offspring.
Molluscs, such as mussels and oysters, are also affected. As they filter seawater to feed, they inadvertently take in microplastics. A study of mussels from UK waters found that 100% of samples contained microplastic pieces. These microplastics can absorb up to one million times more toxic chemicals than the surrounding water, leading to bioaccumulation in the food chain. This poses a significant threat to apex predators, such as great white sharks and orcas, as toxins build up in their fatty tissues.
Marine mammals, including whales, dolphins, porpoises, manatees, and seals, are also victims of plastic ingestion. They may mistake plastic for prey or consume it indirectly by eating contaminated prey. A pregnant pygmy sperm whale, stranded near Melbourne, had to be euthanized due to a stomach clogged with ingested plastic. Another whale was found with 30 kilograms of plastic in its gut, leading to fatal abdominal inflammation. Marine mammals can also become entangled in plastic debris, such as abandoned fishing gear, leading to injury, drowning, and increased vulnerability to predators.
The ingestion of plastic by marine animals has severe health consequences. Plastic can cause internal injuries, intestinal blockages, and starvation. It can also carry harmful pollutants and release toxic chemicals, leading to infections and other health issues. The size and shape of the plastic debris play a crucial role in its impact on marine animals, affecting their ability to regurgitate or pass the debris through their digestive systems.
The plastic pollution crisis in the oceans is a pressing issue, threatening the health and survival of a wide range of marine animals. The ingestion of plastic by marine life leads to a myriad of health issues and contributes to the decline of various species. Addressing this crisis requires a collective effort to reduce, recycle, and properly manage plastic waste to protect the vulnerable marine ecosystems and the animals that inhabit them.
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Animals mistake plastic for food, causing choking and internal injuries
Marine animals are increasingly threatened by the growing amount of pollution in the ocean, and human activities are largely to blame. One of the biggest sources of pollution is nonpoint source pollution, which occurs due to runoff from sources like septic tanks, vehicles, farms, and industrial waste. Marine debris, including plastic, is a persistent problem, with plastic pollution being particularly devastating to nature.
Plastic pollution in the ocean comes from littering, poor waste management, storm water discharge, and extreme natural events. Once plastic enters the ocean, it can travel far and wide, carried by waves and storms. Over time, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually becoming microplastics. These microplastics, along with larger plastic debris, are often mistaken for food by marine animals, leading to choking and internal injuries.
Sea turtles, for example, prey on jellyfish and often mistake plastic bags and clear containers for their natural food. This plastic debris can get stuck in their digestive systems, causing blockages and making them feel full, leading to starvation. It can also cause internal injuries and even death. Globally, more than half of sea turtles have ingested plastic, posing a significant threat to their populations.
Seabirds are also affected, as they feed from the surface of the ocean and mistake small plastic fragments for food. These plastics can lead to starvation or suffocation, and while some birds can regurgitate plastic, others, like petrels, find it difficult. Northern fulmars, for instance, ingest plastic pellets, and their population health is now monitored as an indicator of pellet pollution in the North Sea.
Molluscs, such as mussels and oysters, are passive feeders that filter seawater to feed. In doing so, they also take in microplastics, and studies have found microplastic pieces in all samples of mussels from UK waters. Sharp or rough plastic debris can create cuts in the digestive systems of animals, leading to infections and internal bleeding.
The impact of plastic ingestion is not limited to individual animals; it also affects entire ecosystems. As plastic is ingested by smaller organisms, it moves up the food chain, accumulating in larger fish, marine mammals, and even human seafood eaters. This transfer of plastic up the food chain is known as biomagnification, with chemicals building up in the fatty tissues of animals.
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Plastic waste encourages the growth of pathogens in the ocean
Marine animals are facing a growing threat from pollution, with plastic waste being a key concern. The impact of plastic waste on marine life is devastating and wide-ranging. One of the critical issues is the ingestion of plastic by marine animals, which can lead to internal injuries, starvation, and death. This is because plastic waste can encourage the growth of pathogens in the ocean.
Coral reefs, for example, are vulnerable to plastic pollution. Corals that come into contact with plastic have an 89% chance of contracting diseases, compared to a 4% likelihood for corals that are not exposed to plastic. This is due to the unique characteristics of plastics, which allow them to be readily transported by water currents and wind, and their long shelf life. As a result, the health of coral reef ecosystems is compromised, impacting tourism-related activities such as coral watching, snorkelling, and scuba diving.
Seabirds are also affected by plastic pollution, mistaking small plastic fragments on the water's surface for food. This leads to starvation or suffocation, with some species, such as petrels, struggling to regurgitate plastic. Additionally, plastic pollution contributes to the decline of marine apex predators such as great white sharks and orcas due to the cumulative impact of microplastics in the food chain and the bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals found in plastics.
The impact of plastic waste extends beyond marine animals to humans as well. Microplastics have been found in human blood, placentas, food, and drinks, posing health risks. Furthermore, plastic pollution affects economic activities, such as income from tourism and small-medium enterprises, and contributes to climate change.
The accumulation of plastic waste in the ocean is a result of improper waste disposal and poor waste management practices. It is crucial to address this issue through improved product design, enhanced national legislation, and educational initiatives to raise awareness about the impacts of plastic pollution on marine life and human health.
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Marine mammals are sensitive to noise pollution, which alters their behaviour
Marine mammals are extremely sensitive to noise pollution, which can have a variety of negative effects on their behaviour and health. Sources of noise pollution include ships, seismic surveys, explosions, construction, and sonar devices. These activities disturb natural populations of marine mammals and alter their behaviour. Marine mammals may respond to noise pollution by moving away from the noise source, adjusting their activities to avoid noisy times, or increasing their anti-predatory behaviour. For example, in an experiment conducted in Southern California, blue whales were observed to stop feeding, increase their swimming speed, and move away from the source of active sonar. Even at much lower sound levels than military sonars, these behavioural changes can have significant impacts on the whales' individual fitness, foraging ecology, and population health.
Noise pollution can also interfere with the detection of acoustic signals in the marine environment, masking the sounds produced by marine wildlife. This can lead to changes in individual and social behaviour, as well as hampered population recruitment, which can affect the health and service functions of marine ecosystems. Marine mammals may compensate for noise by changing their vocal behaviour, such as making their signals longer or increasing the volume of their calls. For example, increased ship noise has caused bottlenose dolphins to simplify their vocal calls, potentially reducing the information content and decreasing effective communication within their pods.
The impact of noise pollution on marine mammals can vary depending on factors such as the sound level and its novelty, the physical and behavioural state of the animal, and the ecological features of the environment. Beluga whales, for instance, exhibit a wide range of behavioural responses, including altered headings, changes in dive and surfacing patterns, and alterations in vocalizations. While most studies have focused on short-term effects, even dramatic responses such as beluga whales moving up to 80 km away from icebreakers in the high arctic can be considered transient responses over the annual activity budget of the animals.
Chronic noise pollution can also induce stress in marine mammals, leading to the secretion of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) from the hypothalamus. CRF promotes the release of glucocorticoids and catecholamines, which can alter the immune response and impact the response to diseases. Additionally, chronic stress can suppress reproduction, inhibit growth, and alter metabolism. While stress-induced pathologies have been challenging to identify in free-ranging marine mammals, studies on terrestrial mammals suggest similar physiological responses in marine species. Overall, noise pollution has significant and varied impacts on the behaviour and health of marine mammals, underscoring the need for policies and quieter technologies to reduce anthropogenic noise in their habitats.
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Chemical waste affects marine mammal health, causing skin irritation and poor health
Marine animals are suffering from the billions of pounds of trash and pollutants that enter the ocean each year. Marine debris, including microplastics, derelict fishing gear, and abandoned vessels, poses a persistent threat to marine life. While chemical wastes dumped in the ocean may not immediately affect marine mammals, they do cause long-term harm, including skin irritation, infection, poor health, and even death.
Marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises, are particularly vulnerable to chemical pollution due to their long life spans, high lipid deposits, and position in the food web. Toxic chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides, accumulate in their fatty tissues, a process known as bioaccumulation. Over time, the levels of these chemicals build up, leading to adverse health effects.
For example, Lulu, an orca from the Scottish West Coast Community, was found to have alarmingly high levels of toxic chemicals in her body after her death. Lulu's story illustrates the devastating impact of chemical pollution on marine mammal health. The chemicals found in her body, likely absorbed from contaminated food sources, contributed to her early demise.
In addition to direct health impacts, chemical pollution can also affect marine mammal behaviour. Noise pollution from ocean drilling, marine exploration, and ship traffic can disturb natural populations and alter their behaviour. Protecting marine mammals requires addressing both chemical pollution and noise pollution in their habitats.
To mitigate the impact of chemical waste on marine mammal health, improved waste management practices and the rigorous phasing out of toxic chemicals are essential. By enhancing disposal methods and restricting the production of known toxic substances, we can reduce the contamination of marine environments and protect the health of marine mammals.
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Frequently asked questions
Marine pollution is a combination of chemicals and trash, most of which comes from land sources and is washed or blown into the ocean.
Marine pollution can affect marine animals in a variety of ways. Marine animals can ingest plastic and other debris, which can lead to internal injuries, starvation, and even death. They can also become entangled in plastic debris, which can cause suffocation and drowning. In addition, chemical pollution can cause skin irritation, infection, and poor health.
The sources of marine pollution can be varied, but it mainly comes from human activities. Land-based sources include littering, poor waste management practices, and runoff from farms, septic tanks, vehicles, and industrial operations. Ocean-based sources include oil spills, derelict fishing gear, and abandoned vessels.
Plastic is a significant contributor to marine pollution due to its durability and long decomposition time. Plastic can break down into smaller pieces called microplastics, which are ingested by marine organisms and can absorb toxic chemicals. These toxins then migrate up the food chain, eventually reaching human seafood eaters.
Addressing marine pollution requires a combination of prevention and cleanup efforts. Prevention involves reducing the use of disposable and single-use plastics, improving waste management practices, and regulating the disposal of industrial and agricultural waste. Cleanup efforts can include removing plastic debris from oceans and beaches, but some plastic debris may be impossible to retrieve due to its dispersal in the ocean.
