Comparison of the polarization contrast of gelatinous zooplankton and a transparent single-use plastic bag—Implications for marine animals

Plastic pollution in the ocean is an increasingly detrimental issue for marine organisms. As a form of polarized light pollution, transparent plastic debris may be more visible and pose additional threats to organisms that can detect and interpret polarized light. Plastic can mimic the visual featur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2021-07, Vol.168, p.112438, Article 112438
Main Authors: Kagel, Samantha M., Garcia, Missael, Cummings, Molly E., Gruev, Viktor, Brady, Parrish C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Aquatic Organisms
Ctenophore
Eating
Environmental Monitoring
Gelatin
Gelatinous zooplankton
Ingestion
Light pollution
Light sources
Marine animals
Marine organisms
Marine pollution
Organisms
Plankton
Plastic debris
Plastic pollution
Plastics
Polarization
Polarized light
Prey
Radiance
Sea turtles
Single-use plastics
Underwater
Zooplankton
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Summary:Plastic pollution in the ocean is an increasingly detrimental issue for marine organisms. As a form of polarized light pollution, transparent plastic debris may be more visible and pose additional threats to organisms that can detect and interpret polarized light. Plastic can mimic the visual features of common marine prey items, such as transparent gelatinous zooplankton, which may lead to more significant plastic ingestion. We measured, in situ, the polarization and radiance contrast between a transparent plastic bag and gelatinous zooplankton with an underwater video polarimeter. The plastic bag had significantly higher polarization contrast than the gelatinous zooplankton, yet both shared similar radiance contrasts. This higher polarization contrast may contribute to the observed high ingestion rates of transparent plastic by marine organisms. Further study into the connection between polarization-sensitive organisms and plastic ingestion is recommended. •Transparent plastic is ingested in large quantities by marine organisms.•An underwater polarimeter measured in situ plastic and gelatinous zooplankton.•Transparent plastic had greater a polarization contrast than gelatinous zooplankton.•Polarization sensitivity may increase transparent plastic ingestion.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112438