Invasions by marine life on plastic debris

Barnes, David K.A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9076-7867. 2002 Invasions by marine life on plastic debris. Nature, 416 (6883). 808-809. 10.1038/416808a

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Abstract/Summary

Colonization by alien species poses one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity1. Here I investigate the colonization by marine organisms of drift debris deposited on the shores of 30 remote islands from the Arctic to the Antarctic (across all oceans) and find that human litter more than doubles the rafting opportunities for biota, particularly at high latitudes. Although the poles may be protected from invasion by freezing sea surface temperatures, these may be under threat as the fastest-warming areas anywhere2 are at these latitudes.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1038/416808a
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Antarctic Science in the Global Context (2000-2005) > Life at the Edge - Stresses and Thresholds
ISSN:	0028-0836
NORA Subject Terms:	Marine Sciences Biology and Microbiology Zoology Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	07 Sep 2011 13:58 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/13131

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