 |
|
|
 |
| Hilo, Hawaii News, Sports, & Information |
Saturday, May 18, 2013 |
|
|
Back to Hawaii News index
|
|
|
Posted: Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 5:21 AM HST
|
|
|
|
Researchers: Ocean garbage gyre impacting sea life
|
|
|
|
|
Researchers say a zone of floating plastic debris between Hawaii and California is changing at least one marine critter's habitat.
A marine insect that tends to lay its eggs on floating wood and seashells can now be found laying eggs on top of bits of plastic.
The observation was made by a team of California researchers who traveled to the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" in 2009. They published their latest finding in the journal Biology Letters.
Though plastic debris is giving the insects places to lay eggs, scientists are concerned about the manmade material establishing a role in their habitat.
The garbage patch is formed by ocean and wind currents.
Most of the plastic pieces are the size of confetti and are difficult to see with the naked eye.
|
|
|
|
|
|
