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Underwater dumps: the plastic siege on biodiversity
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Researchers document how plastic pollution is accumulating in deep-sea biogenic habitats including coral reefs, kelp forests, and seagrass meadows, threatening the rich biodiversity these ecosystems support. The authors argue that the out-of-sight nature of these habitats means plastic impacts there receive far less public and regulatory attention than surface ocean pollution.
Biogenic habitats are marine structures formed by a variety of species that provide habitat for many others. They include coral reefs or gardens, aggregations of sponges or molluscs, kelp forests, and seagrass meadows. The biological diversity associated with these environments can be enormous. However, pollution of these areas often goes unnoticed due to two factors: they comprise species that are not typically considered charismatic, and they can be found at great depths, far from visible impacts. This report reviews the damage to various types of biogenic habitats, lists international obligations to protect those with the greatest biodiversity or fragility, and outlines actions that can be taken locally to complement policies aimed at stemming the flow of waste at the source. The vast majority of plastic in the ocean is found on the seabed. As a result, benthic biogenic habitats can be buried by accumulations of litter. Filter-feeding animals, like corals and sponges, ingest microplastics that may be toxic to them. These harmful substances can also bioaccumulate, with filter-feeding species such as bivalves (mussels, clams, oysters) transferring them to higher levels in the food chain (fish, cephalopods, etc.). Habitat-structuring species are susceptible to snagging and entanglement because they are sessile organisms, i.e., they live fixed to the substrate. In coral and coralligenous reefs, debris causes tissue breakage and abrasions that can lead to infections. Another possible impact being studied is the potential for invasive species to spread by attaching themselves to plastic fragments (biofouling) that are then displaced by currents or the wind. Damage to all these habitat-building species affects the organisms that depend on them. Many biogenic habitats that are biodiversity hotspots are under threat and their conservation is therefore a priority. This situation is reflected in various instruments of international conventions, as well as in European Union legislation. The ubiquity of marine litter calls for decisive action. It is necessary to develop public policies that encourage reduction and reuse, in order to minimise the amount of waste reaching the sea. The strategies Oceana proposes to address the problem of plastics in marine biodiversity hotspots include a first phase of data collection, accompanied by restrictions on activities in the area and, where feasible, removal of the waste, taking care not to damage the habitat.
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Submarine Landfills: The Siege of Plastic on Biodiversity
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This Spanish-language article describes how plastic pollution is accumulating in deep-sea biogenic habitats such as coral reefs, sponge aggregations, and seagrass meadows, threatening the biodiversity they support. It highlights that these ecosystems are particularly vulnerable because they are deep, out of sight, and home to non-charismatic species that attract less public concern.
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This article examines how plastic pollution affects deep ocean ecosystems, describing how plastics sink to the seafloor and potentially affect deep-sea biota through ingestion, toxin introduction, transport of invasive species, and alteration of seafloor substrate from soft to hard bottom. The deep ocean acts as a long-term sink for plastic pollution with poorly understood ecological consequences.
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This systematic review estimates the total amount of plastic pollution resting on the deep ocean floor worldwide. The research reveals that the deep sea serves as a massive reservoir for plastic waste, which is concerning because as these plastics break down into microplastics over time, they can be consumed by deep-sea organisms and re-enter the food chain.
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Microplastics were detected in deep-sea invertebrates from multiple ocean basins, confirming that plastic contamination has penetrated to organisms living in the darkest, most remote zones of the ocean. This finding raises concerns about the ecological and food-web implications of deep-sea microplastic exposure.
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This review explores the surprisingly high biodiversity found in the deep sea and the growing threats it faces from human activities including overfishing, plastic pollution, and climate change. Despite being the most extensive habitat on Earth, the deep sea remains poorly understood, and its resilience to disturbance is uncertain. Researchers warn that planned activities like deep-sea mining could cause severe and potentially irreversible harm to these vulnerable ecosystems.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.