Impacts of Plastic Pollution On the Health of Marine Animals

The intense consumption and rapid disposal of plastic products is leading to the widespread accumulation of plastic debris in marine ecosystems. Coastal ecosystems are especially vulnerable. As plastics breakdown, they are often mistaken as a food source by marine animals leading to internal damage and resulting in a loss in body condition. Dr. Bridie Allan, Dept of Marine Science, University of Otago, will discuss the sources and fate of marine plastics, along with the broad impacts on marine animals.

Dr. Bridie Allan is a lecturer in the Department of the Marine Science at the University of Otago, New Zealand. She received her BSc from Otago University and her MSc and PhD from James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
Her research explores how environmental changes can alter the mechanisms underlying population processes and how these changes scale to community dynamics. To do this, she uses field collections, observations and experiments in conjunction with laboratory experiments to investigate a wide range of impacts including climate change, oil pollution, habitat disturbances, microplastic pollution, and other human activities that influence the physiology, behaviour and survival of fish. Her field sites span both tropical and temperate regions.