The oceanic region around the North Pacific Gyre, one of the five major oceanic gyres, is colloquially known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an exceptional example of marine pollution. This floating landfill did not receive significant attention until the late 1990s, when it was discovered by Charles J. Moore in 1997 after returning from a sailing race. Since then, more effort has been placed into researching its exact size as well as its effects on ecosystems. The gyre was supposedly formed as a result of drawing in waste material from across the ocean and coastal waters. Due to the strength and direction of its current, small floating debris can get trapped in the gyre. The habitats of seabirds have been shown to coincide with areas of floating plastic, thus making seabirds—especially the abatross, a far-ranging sea-surface foraging bird—vulnerable to ingesting plastic.
Contributed by Jamison Fox.
Course: Modern Global Environmental History
Instructor: Dr. Wilko Graf von Hardenberg
University of Wisconsin–Madison, US