Marine plastic litter as an artificial hard bottom fouling ground

Harms, J.

doi:10.1007/bf02365483

Cited by 18 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In addition to dispersal mechanisms previously discussed, bryozoans are also found living on plastics (Winston 1982;Harms 1990;Stevens et al 1996)and motile hosts (sea snakes, Zann et al 1975;Key et al 1996;Nautilus, Landmann et al 1987;turtles, Frazier et al 1992; horse-shoe crabs, Key et al 1996;Janthina, Taylor & Monks 1997), and a pelagic species has been recorded from the Antarctic (Peck et al 1995); any attempt to explain dispersal through a single trait would be inappropriate. However, fouling can be interpreted as a dominant dispersal mechanism at present; at least, the e¡ect of fouling is now so strong that the importance of other methods of dispersal is masked.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural and anthropogenic dispersal mechanisms in the marine environment: a study using cheilostome Bryozoa

Watts

Thorpe

Taylor

1998

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B

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The global geographic ranges occupied by 197 species of cheilostomate Bryozoa found in British waters were obtained by a literature survey. Morphological grade, larval mode, environmental tolerance, species abundance and the ability to raft and to foul shipping were all investigated as traits potentially able to a¡ect the geographic ranges of these bryozoan species. When considered independently all variables except larval mode had a signi¢cant correlation with the geographic range occupied by a species. However, when controlling for the potentially confounding e¡ects of the other covariates, only the ability to foul or raft and species abundance had a signi¢cant e¡ect on median geographic range and only fouling and abundance had a signi¢cant e¡ect over global ranges. The strength of the association between fouling ability and range suggests that transport upon the hulls of ships is a very important dispersal mechanism for bryozoans, as it is thought to be also for various other marine taxa. Potential long-term (evolutionary) consequences of increased ranges brought about by anthropogenic mechanisms are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural and anthropogenic dispersal mechanisms in the marine environment: a study using cheilostome Bryozoa

Watts

Thorpe

Taylor

1998

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B

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“…Furthermore, sediment settling on pelagic plastic materials and taking them to the sea floor can lead to the creation of artificial hardgrounds (e.g. Harms 1990). Following in a somewhat similar vein, Williams et al (2005, p. 627), perhaps with a degree of irony, have claimed that benthic marine debris once settled on the sea floor could '.…”

Section: (D) Smotheringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental implications of plastic debris in marine settings—entanglement, ingestion, smothering, hangers-on, hitch-hiking and alien invasions

Gregory

2009

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

1,555

758

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Over the past five or six decades, contamination and pollution of the world's enclosed seas, coastal waters and the wider open oceans by plastics and other synthetic, non-biodegradable materials (generally known as 'marine debris') has been an ever-increasing phenomenon. The sources of these polluting materials are both land-and marine-based, their origins may be local or distant, and the environmental consequences are many and varied. The more widely recognized problems are typically associated with entanglement, ingestion, suffocation and general debilitation, and are often related to stranding events and public perception. Among the less frequently recognized and recorded problems are global hazards to shipping, fisheries and other maritime activities. Today, there are rapidly developing research interests in the biota attracted to freely floating (i.e. pelagic) marine debris, commonly known as 'hangers-on and hitch-hikers' as well as material sinking to the sea floor despite being buoyant. Dispersal of aggressive alien and invasive species by these mechanisms leads one to reflect on the possibilities that ensuing invasions could endanger sensitive, or at-risk coastal environments (both marine and terrestrial) far from their native habitats.

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“…Galgani et al (2000) proposed that the predominant northward currents in the eastern part of the German Bight transport floating debris out of the study region and accumulate it in an area to the west of Denmark, where a large proportion finally sinks to the seafloor, probably due to loss of buoyancy caused by a progressive accumulation of organisms (e.g. Harms, 1990;Lobelle and Cunliffe, 2011).…”

Section: Anthropogenic Marine Debrismentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatio-temporal distribution of floating objects in the German Bight (North Sea)

Thiel

Hinojosa

Joschko

et al. 2011

Journal of Sea Research

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Floating objects facilitate the dispersal of marine and terrestrial species but also represent a major environmental hazard in the case of anthropogenic plastic litter. They can be found throughout the world's oceans but information on their abundance and the spatio-temporal dynamics is scarce for many regions of the world. This information, however, is essential to evaluate the ecological role of floating objects. Herein, we report the results from a ship-based visual survey on the abundance and composition of flotsam in the German Bight (North Sea) during the years 2006 to 2008. The aim of this study was to identify potential sources of floating objects and to relate spatio-temporal density variations to environmental conditions. Three major flotsam categories were identified: buoyant seaweed (mainly fucoid brown algae), natural wood and anthropogenic debris. Densities of these floating objects in the German Bight were similar to those reported from other coastal regions of the world. Temporal variations in flotsam densities are probably the result of seasonal growth cycles of seaweeds and fluctuating river runoff (wood). Higher abundances were often found in areas where coastal fronts and eddies develop during calm weather conditions. Accordingly, flotsam densities were often higher in the inner German Bight than in areas farther offshore. Import of floating objects and retention times in the German Bight are influenced by wind force and direction. Our results indicate that a substantial amount of floating objects is of coastal origin or introduced into the German Bight from western source areas such as the British Channel. Rapid transport of floating objects through the German Bight is driven by strong westerly winds and likely facilitates dispersal of associated organisms and gene flow among distant populations.

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Marine plastic litter as an artificial hard bottom fouling ground

Cited by 18 publications

References 16 publications

Natural and anthropogenic dispersal mechanisms in the marine environment: a study using cheilostome Bryozoa

Natural and anthropogenic dispersal mechanisms in the marine environment: a study using cheilostome Bryozoa

Environmental implications of plastic debris in marine settings—entanglement, ingestion, smothering, hangers-on, hitch-hiking and alien invasions

Spatio-temporal distribution of floating objects in the German Bight (North Sea)

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