1 . The amount of plastic pollution in the oceans is rapidly increasing. This is problematic, as at least 700 species of sea animals may mistake it for a tasty snack. While we know that some species seem to eat plastic because it looks like jellyfish or some other food sources, less research has been carried out into what plastic smells like to marine animals.
But now, a study from the University of North Carolina has found that the coating of algae that naturally builds up on ocean plastics causes the rubbish to give off the scent of food.
The researchers took 15 loggerhead turtles, each around five months old, and placed them in a laboratory tank. They then piped in clean water, clean plastic, turtle food, and plastic that had been immersed in the marine environment for five weeks.
The turtles showed no reaction to the smell of clean water or clean plastic. But when they were exposed to the smell of ocean-soaked plastic or turtle food, they exhibited food-seeking behaviours like reaching their noses out of the water or showing increasing activities.
“This finding is the first demonstration that the smell of ocean plastics causes animals to eat them, ” said Dr Kenneth J. Lohmann, who took part in the study. “It’s common to find loggerhead turtles with their digestive systems fully or partially blocked because they’ve eaten plastic materials. There are also increasing reports of sea turtles that have become ill and stranded on the beach due to their ingestion (摄食) of plastic.”
According to the researchers, areas of the ocean with dense concentrations of plastic may trick turtles and other marine animals into thinking that there is an abundant food source. “Once these plastics are in the ocean, we don’t have a good way to remove them or prevent them from smelling like food,” said Lohmann.
1. Why is plastic pollution posing a threat to marine animals?| A．It may eat up all jellyfish. |
| B．It may mislead them as food. |
| C．It may kill them with its smell. |
| D．It may trap 700 species of sea animals. |
| A．Sea water. | B．Clear water. |
| C．Brand-new plastic. | D．Sea-soaked plastic. |
| A．Turtles should be trained to be more intelligent. |
| B．Plastics should be kept from getting into the ocean. |
| C．An abundant food source should be offered to sea animals. |
| D．Researchers should come up with a solution to the current problem. |
| A．Ways Found to Remove Plastic |
| B．Loggerhead Turtles Faced with Food Shortage |
| C．Ocean Plastics Smell like Food to Turtles |
| D．Plastic Pollution — Compromise or Control? |
