PRESENTATION OVERVIEW: This presentation provides an overview of marine debris: what it is, how it gets into the ocean, and how it is transported throughout the ocean. An introduction to the effects of this marine debris on seabirds and other marine animals follows. As far-ranging top predators, seabirds are valuable biological indicators of climatic and human-related changes to marine food webs because they are long-lived, and have an expansive range in marine ecosystems. For these reasons, seabirds are also valuable indicators of plastic pollution in coastal and oceanic waters. The end of the presentation reviews the physiological effects of toxic chemicals found in or adsorbed* to plastics on organisms. As marine pollution increases worldwide, impacts to seabirds and other wildlife are expected to increase. Marine debris is found everywhere in the ocean and affects many ecosystems and organisms, from those that live near the bottom (benthic) to those that live in the water column (pelagic). - Marine Debris moves from high human population areas to far-away,remote islands by surface currents of the ocean . - All this plastic floating in areas far away from shore may have impacts on the organisms living and feeding in these regions. - Scientists have a way of measuring the biological impact of this plastic, which can release toxic chemicals into the water as it breaks down. - Organisms whose status and abundance can be monitored to determine the health of an ecosystem or an environment are known as BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR SPECIES . -! Plastic slowly breakdown in the high acidity of the stomach. Therefore,research suggests that the levels of plastic pollutants found in seabirds may be related to the amount of plastics they ingested. (Meaning, higher rates of plastic ingestions equals higher amount of plastic pollutants in albatross tissues.) -! Certain species of sea turtles (reptiles) mistake plastic bags for their favorite food items, jellyfish or other invertebrates. These bags become lodged in their digestive system and can block it completely. Fish can ingest small plastic pellets floating in the water. These pellets are a by-product of plastic manufacturing. Efforts have been made in recent years to better dispose of these pellets so the amount getting into ocean waters is reduced. Fish are also susceptible to ingesting small pieces of plastic from larger items that have broken down over time. These marine organisms are also susceptible to the same pollutants that negatively impact seabirds. As with seabirds, juveniles (babies) are more sensitive.