Greta Jimenez
Plastic is the pollutant that accumulates in gyres. Gyres are large systems of circulating ocean currents that pull debris into one location, often the centre of the gyre. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located in the North Pacific Gyre, is the most famous example of a gyre's tendency to accumulate plastic. It is an area of concentrated (and mostly plastic) marine debris, with tiny microplastics swirling around, mixing in the water column from waves and wind. While this is the most well-known garbage patch, there are garbage patches all over the world, of varying sizes and shapes, containing a soup of concentrated marine debris.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pollutant | Plastics |
| Plastic debris type | Macroplastics and microplastics |
| Plastic debris size | Tiny microplastics to larger items like fishing gear |
| Plastic debris distribution | Concentrated in "garbage patches" of varying sizes and shapes |
| Plastic debris location | All ocean basins, ecosystems, habitats, and food webs, including seafood and sea salt |
| Plastic debris transport | Currents, wind, and waves |
| Plastic debris accumulation zones | Subtropical gyres, especially the North Pacific Gyre |
| Plastic debris abundance | 26,898 particles km-2 and 70.96 g km-2 |
| Plastic debris persistence | Plastics can persist in the environment for centuries to thousands of years |
| Plastic debris sources | Land- and ocean-based sources, including domestic, industrial, and fishing activities |
| Plastic debris risks | Ingestion, entanglement, and bioaccumulation of hydrophobic contaminants in the food chain |
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Plastic pollution
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch was discovered by Captain Charles Moore in 1996 and is the largest accumulation of plastic in the open ocean. It covers an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometers, twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France. The patch is composed of tiny microplastics, with scattered larger items such as fishing gear, creating a ""peppery soup"" of plastic pollution. The majority of the plastics in this gyre, about 75%, are attributed to offshore fishing activities.
Once plastics enter a gyre, they are unlikely to leave until they degrade into smaller microplastics due to the effects of the sun, waves, and marine life. As more plastics are discarded into the environment, the microplastic concentration in these gyres will continue to increase. Early studies on subtropical gyres demonstrated the long-range transport of plastics via wind and surface currents, contributing to the accumulation of plastic pollution in these regions.
The presence of plastic pollution in gyres has far-reaching consequences. Plastic debris can be ingested by marine animals, leading to health issues and even death. Additionally, plastics can break down into microplastics, which can enter the food web, potentially impacting human health. The ubiquity of plastic pollution in the oceans has sparked increased research and policy attention, with a focus on understanding the sources, fates, transformations, and effects of this pollution on global change.
Addressing plastic pollution in gyres requires a multifaceted approach. It involves reducing plastic waste, improving waste management practices, promoting recycling and sustainable alternatives, and implementing policies to regulate plastic production and use. By combining scientific knowledge with collective action, we can work towards mitigating the impact of plastic pollution on our oceans and the broader environment.
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Microplastics
Once microplastics enter the ocean, they are transported by currents, winds, and surface tides, eventually getting trapped in gyres. The most famous example of this is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located in the North Pacific Gyre between Hawaii and California. This gyre is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world and was discovered by Captain Charles Moore in 1996. It covers an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometers, an area twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a "'soup'" of concentrated marine debris, primarily composed of tiny microplastics, with scattered larger items like fishing gear. These microplastics are small enough that they cannot be easily removed from the ocean, and their concentration in the patch is increasing. As more plastics are discarded, microplastic concentration will continue to rise unless sources are mitigated.
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Marine debris
The most famous example of a gyre accumulating trash is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located in the North Pacific Gyre. This patch is an area of concentrated plastic marine debris, with tiny microplastics swirling around, mixing in the water column, and larger items like fishing gear scattered throughout. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is not the only garbage patch in the ocean, and researchers have discovered other areas of concentrated marine debris in the South Pacific Ocean and the North Atlantic. These garbage patches are constantly changing size and shape due to winds and currents, and the debris can be found from the ocean surface to the ocean floor.
The plastic pollution in these gyres comes from both sea- and land-based sources, with domestic, industrial, and fishing activities being the most significant contributors. Plastics can persist in the environment for centuries due to their resistance to degradation, and they can be transported great distances out to sea. Microplastics and macroplastics pose risks to organisms through ingestion or entanglement, and hydrophobic contaminants from plastic waste can bioaccumulate in the food chain.
The challenge of cleaning up marine debris in the ocean is significant. While most of the trash is contained in 'garbage patch' areas due to ocean currents, it is not easy to skim the trash off the surface. Microplastics are challenging to remove from the ocean, and the size of the affected areas is vast. Preventing debris from entering the ocean at the source is crucial to addressing the issue of marine debris in gyres.
Overall, marine debris, particularly plastic pollution, is a pressing issue for our oceans, with gyres acting as accumulation zones for this pollution. The impacts on marine life and ecosystems are significant, and addressing the problem requires a focus on preventing plastic debris from entering the ocean.
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Oil spills
Oil is a fossil fuel that is used to heat homes, generate electricity, and power large sectors of the economy. It is a valuable resource, but when it spills into the ocean, it becomes a pollutant. Oil spills can have devastating and long-lasting effects on marine ecosystems, as the oil can persist in the environment for thousands of years.
One of the most well-known examples of oil spills is the Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010, which affected the Gulf of Mexico. This spill had significant impacts on marine life, including juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtles, and led to advancements in oil spill science and response.
While oil spills are a serious problem, it's important to note that plastic pollution is also a major contributor to the accumulation of pollutants in ocean gyres. These gyres are large systems of circular currents that trap debris and microplastics, creating floating garbage patches. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located within the North Pacific Gyre, is a massive collection of marine debris extending from the west coast of North America to Japan.
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Nutrient pollution
Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential elements for plant growth, but when they are excessively present in a body of water, they can have detrimental effects. High concentrations of these nutrients can stimulate the overgrowth of algae, leading to harmful algal blooms (HABs) or "red tides." These blooms produce toxic effects that can harm marine life and, in some cases, even humans. The decomposition of large amounts of algae further exacerbates the problem by consuming oxygen, creating hypoxic or dead zones that drive away or kill marine species.
The impact of nutrient pollution in gyres is far-reaching. The accumulation of nutrients affects the biological cycles of carbon and nutrients in the ocean, with lateral transport playing a crucial role in replenishing surface nutrients. Vertical processes were initially thought to dominate nutrient replenishment, but recent studies have shown that lateral transport is a significant source of phosphorus and nitrogen for all five subtropical gyres. This understanding of the nutrient budgets in subtropical ocean gyres helps explain the seasonal patterns of inorganic carbon drawdown and nitrogen fixation.
Addressing nutrient pollution in gyres requires a multifaceted approach. Limiting the use of disposable plastics and transitioning to biodegradable or reusable materials can help reduce the plastic debris that accumulates in gyres. Additionally, managing and reducing nutrient runoff from human activities can play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of nutrient pollution on marine ecosystems and the biological cycles they support.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastics, including microplastics, are the main pollutants that accumulate in gyres.
Gyres are large systems of circulating ocean currents, similar to slow-moving whirlpools. There are five gyres in the ocean: the North Atlantic Gyre, the South Atlantic Gyre, the North Pacific Gyre, the South Pacific Gyre, and the Indian Ocean Gyre.
Gyres pull debris into one location, often to the centre of the gyre, creating garbage patches. These garbage patches are constantly changing size and shape due to winds and currents.
Plastic pollution in gyres has various detrimental effects. It can lead to the ingestion of microplastics by marine organisms, causing bioaccumulation of toxins in the food chain. Plastic pollution can also result in entanglement and physical harm to marine life. Additionally, plastic debris can interact with planetary cycles and affect biological processes, such as the decline of phytoplankton.
