marine pollution

New research published in PNAS this week suggests that human-derived iron entering the ocean from burning fossil fuels could have an impact on the global climate, as well as marine life.

National Oceanography Centre (NOC) research has revealed for the first time how submarine sediment avalanches can transport microplastics from land into the deep ocean. The study also revealed that these flows are responsible for sorting different types of microplastics – burying some, and moving others vast distances across the sea floor. 

An international study conducted during the Census of Marine Life project SYNDEEP has concluded that human activities are increasingly affecting deep-sea habitats, resulting in the potential for biodiversity loss and, with this, the loss of many goods and services provided by deep-sea ecosystems.