South African Pelagic Goose Barnacles (Cirripedia, Thoracica): Substratum Preferences and Influence of Plastic Debris on Abundance and Distribution

Griffiths, Charles L.; Biccard, Aiden; Whitehead, T. Otto

doi:10.1163/001121611x574290

Cited by 30 publications

(29 citation statements)

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“…The efficiency of rafting dispersal depends on the availability and the persistence of floating substrata in the oceans. Already established populations may disperse regionally with the help of marine litter, as was observed by Whitehead et al (2011) for lepadid barnacles in South Africa, by Serrano et al (2013) for a Mediterranean population of the coral Oculina patagonica and also by Davidson (2012) for the isopod Sphaeroma quoianum, which "manufactures" its own raft by causing fragmentation of Styrofoam/polystyrene dock floats.…”

Section: Floating Litter As Dispersal Vectormentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Wong et al (1974) did not find algae and invertebrates on plastic fragments, which were significantly smaller than floating pumice in the Goldstein et al 2014) same region. Lepadid barnacles seem to have species-specific preferences for litter of certain size, and some species (Lepas pectinata and Dosima fascicularis) associated with smaller litter items develop morphological adaptations, such as a small body size and light-weight valves, that minimize the risk of sinking of colonized flotsam (Whitehead et al 2011). A size-specific selection of floating substrata has previously been shown for lepadid barnacles rafting on tar pellets (Minchin 1996).…”

Section: Floating Litter As a Habitatmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Marine Litter as Habitat and Dispersal Vector

Kiessling

Gutow

Thiel

2015

Marine Anthropogenic Litter

138

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Floating anthropogenic litter provides habitat for a diverse community of marine organisms. A total of 387 taxa, including pro-and eukaryotic microorganisms, seaweeds and invertebrates, have been found rafting on floating litter in all major oceanic regions. Among the invertebrates, species of bryozoans, crustaceans, molluscs and cnidarians are most frequently reported as rafters on marine litter. Micro-organisms are also ubiquitous on marine litter although the composition of the microbial community seems to depend on specific substratum characteristics such as the polymer type of floating plastic items. Sessile suspension feeders are particularly well-adapted to the limited autochthonous food resources on artificial floating substrata and an extended planktonic larval development seems to facilitate colonization of floating litter at sea. Properties of floating litter, such as size and surface rugosity, are crucial for colonization by marine organisms and the subsequent succession of the rafting community. The rafters themselves affect substratum characteristics such as floating stability, buoyancy, and degradation. Under the influence of currents and winds marine litter can transport associated organisms over extensive distances. Because of the great persistence (especially of plastics) and the vast quantities of litter in the world's oceans, rafting dispersal has become more prevalent in the marine environment, potentially facilitating the spread of invasive species. IntroductionLitter in the marine environment poses a hazard for a great variety of animals. Various species of marine vertebrates including fish, seabirds, turtles and marine mammals become easily entangled in floating marine litter, resulting in reduced mobility, strangulation and drowning (Derraik 2002;Kühn et al. 2015). Additionally, ingested litter can damage or block intestines, thereby affecting nutrition with often lethal effects (reviewed by Derraik 2002;Kühn et al. 2015). On the seafloor, marine litter can smother the substratum and thus cause hypoxia in benthic organisms (Moore 2008;Gregory 2009). In addition to these immediate hazardous effects on marine biota, marine litter has been suggested to facilitate the spread of non-indigenous species (Lewis et al. 2005). Biological invasions are considered a major threat to coastal ecosystems (Molnar et al. 2008).Like any other submerged substrata, marine litter provides a habitat for organisms that are able to settle and persist on artificial surfaces. Once colonized by marine biota, litter items floating at the sea surface can facilitate dispersal of the associated rafters at different spatial scales. Previous studies have reported over 1200 taxa that are associated with natural and anthropogenic flotsam (Thiel and Gutow 2005a) and the extreme localities that rafting organisms can reach when transported over large distances by currents and wind (Barnes and Fraser 2003; Barnes and Milner 2005). While floating macroalgae, wood and volcanic pumice have been part of the natural flots...

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Section: Floating Litter As Dispersal Vectormentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Floating Litter As a Habitatmentioning

confidence: 95%

Marine Litter as Habitat and Dispersal Vector

Kiessling

Gutow

Thiel

2015

Marine Anthropogenic Litter

138

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“…biofilms) (yet see Winston et al 1997, Lobelle & Cunliffe 2011. Introduced species have a higher propensity to foul man-made substrates, such as plastics (Whitehead et al 2011), than native species (Wyatt et al 2005, Glasby et al 2007, Tamburri et al 2008. Couple this propensity with the durability and persistence of plastics, and the likelihood of plastics transporting non-native species increases substantially.…”

Section: Priority Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ye & Andrady 1991, Artham et al 2009) with the type of substrate and the distance from source areas (and hence residence time at sea). For example, Whitehead et al (2011) determined that of stranded debris in South Africa, kelp and plastics were the most frequently colonized (33 and 29%, respectively). In contrast, Widmer & Hennemann (2010) reported that only 5% of marine debris was biofouled in southern Brazil (27°S), of which 98% of the items were plastic (Widmer & Hennemann 2010).…”

Section: Priority Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global research priorities to mitigate plastic pollution impacts on marine wildlife

Vegter¹,

Barletta²,

Beck³

et al. 2014

Endang. Species. Res.

294

134

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Marine wildlife faces a growing number of threats across the globe, and the survival of many species and populations will be dependent on conservation action. One threat in particular that has emerged over the last 4 decades is the pollution of oceanic and coastal habitats with plastic debris. The increased occurrence of plastics in marine ecosystems mirrors the increased prevalence of plastics in society, and reflects the high durability and persistence of plastics in the environment. In an effort to guide future research and assist mitigation approaches to marine conservation, we have generated a list of 16 priority research questions based on the expert opinions of 26 researchers from around the world, whose research expertise spans several disciplines, and covers each of the world's oceans and the taxa most at risk from plastic pollution. This paper highlights a growing concern related to threats posed to marine wildlife from microplastics and fragmented debris, the need for data at scales relevant to management, and the urgent need to develop interdisciplinary research and management partnerships to limit the release of plastics into the environment and curb the future impacts of plastic pollution.

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“…This fact suggests that the abundance of the species could be increased after the spills, providing numerous floating surfaces for attachment. Whitehead et al (2011) also conclude that the increasing abundance of plastic (or other available substrata) is drastically increasing the opportunities for the goose barnacles to colonize and it greatly influences their abundance and distribution. …”

Section: Juan Junoymentioning

confidence: 91%