The Unexpected Ecosystem: Coastal Species Thriving in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Researcher Lindsay Harram and Jim Carlton discovered that coastal species are thriving in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a mass of plastic debris floating in the ocean. Contrary to their expectations, they found anemones and barnacles attached to the plastic samples, actively reproducing and forming a new home in the open ocean. This introduces the concept of Neopelagic Communities, ecosystems deeply intertwined with plastic. The plastic serves as a surface for colonization, leading to ecological succession and the development of new habitats.