Researchers find trash in the Arctic, Chula professors shocked by effects of climate change

[webfact]

Researchers find trash in the Arctic, Chula professors shocked by effects of climate change

By Kornrawee Panyasuppakun 
The Nation

 

Researchers wore thermal diving suits to protect them from the freezing waters of the Arctic Ocean, and only managed to stay underwater for 30 minutes at a time before returning to the surface.

 

TRASH HAS crept onto the pristine islands of the Arctic Circle, Thai researchers discovered in their two-week-long study on climate change and marine plastics.

 

“It was a disturbing scene. We landed on the northernmost island [Phippsoya]. It was a pure and unpopulated land, yet we saw trash at every single step we took – every single step,” Chulalongkorn University’s Assoc Prof Suchada Chavanich said. 

 

She and Assoc Prof Voranop Viyakarn, from the same university, headed for the Arctic Circle on July 24 to study the effects of climate change and microplastic on marine animals. They focused their studies on the islands in the northernmost part of Norway. 

 

 

The researchers said they had not expected so much trash in the area. 

 

“We thought there would be less and less trash as we travelled north. But what we saw totally debunked our theory,” Suchada said. 

 

The trash they found ranged from rubber gloves to fishing nets and plastic bottles. The garbage had apparently been carried by the current and washed ashore on the islands. 

 

 

Trash like this could strangle marine animals or, when consumed, lead to indigestion and death. Also microplastic – less than 5mm in diameter and caused by the degradation of bigger pieces of plastic – can be equally dangerous. 

 

Microplastic, invisible to the human eye, travels in the food chain all the way from phytoplankton to bigger animals until it reaches humans, Voranop explained. He said microplastic is found in the tissue of small animals such as clams, leading to abnormal growth and reproduction. 

 

“Microplastic is tiny but sharp,” Suchada added. “It can irritate the digestive organs of fish.” 

 

She said that some scientists fear that microplastic could even reside in human tissue and travel into our blood vessels.

 

 

Voranop, Suchada and their team risked encounters with polar bears and walruses to venture deep into the unexplored parts of the Arctic Ocean and gather samples of fish, marine animals and soil.

 

“There were times when I thought we wouldn’t make it,” Suchada said as she recounted her diving experience. The researchers wanted to collect animals living close to the ice sheets. 

 

When they dove they expected the water to be murky but were shocked by the zero visibility. “I couldn’t see my partner or even the watch on my wrist. Under our feet was a 50-metre deep slope. Luckily we made it back to the ship,” Suchada said. 

 

 

In theory, freshwater released from melting ice sheets will make the sea murky for 5 metres from the surface, however, climate change has increased the ice-melting rate and is causing poor visibility even 10 metres down, she explained. 

 

Climate change is hitting the Arctic hard. The researchers saw different kinds of jellyfish instead of icebergs. This, Suchada said, indicated a warming sea. They also saw four polar bears, standing on a cliff instead of ice sheets, with a couple feeding on vegetation. 

 

“Scientists had suspected a diet change among polar bears, but this is the first time such a scene has been caught on camera,” Suchada said.

 

Shrinking ice sheets over the sea has made hunting for seals tougher than ever, and this is driving polar bears – a carnivorous species – to start feeding on vegetation, Suchada said. 

 

“It is not just the polar bears. Many species have started disappearing. We should be more concerned about nature and other species,” Voranop said. 

 

 

The researchers, who arrived in Bangkok on Sunday, will begin studying the samples from the warmth of their laboratory in Chulalongkorn University. 

 

The study, initiated by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn with support from the Embassy of Norway, the National Science Museum Thailand and Chulalongkorn University, will be wrapped up when a documentary and picture book on the Arctic adventure is released.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30352066

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-14

[canuckamuck]

They visit the arctic for the first time and are shocked by the changes from what they expected and what they saw. Very scientific.

Ocean pollution is a real problem, I admire that they are giving awareness to it. But they really need to be exposing the problems in their own backyard, and let the northern scientists do actual studies in the arctic. As for climate change, One trip up north is not going to tell them anything. They would be shocked by the difference by returning just two months later.

[Samui Bodoh]

34 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

They visit the arctic for the first time and are shocked by the changes from what they expected and what they saw. Very scientific.

Ocean pollution is a real problem, I admire that they are giving awareness to it. But they really need to be exposing the problems in their own backyard, and let the northern scientists do actual studies in the arctic. As for climate change, One trip up north is not going to tell them anything. They would be shocked by the difference by returning just two months later.

+1

It is good to have research from the North, but the situation here in Thailand is so grave that perhaps Thai scientists might focus on the source (Thailand) rather then the destination.

 

If Thailand wishes to help the Arctic, then a clean up here is the best option.

 

[Oziex1]

The trash must have made them feel at home.  Now get back tell them to stop burning their land and stop burning all their household waste. Forget about coal fired power as well. 

[mok199]

 the Chinese tour groups have already arrived in the luxury cruise ships ..Meanwhile back in Thailand , the morning breakfast street vendors serve soup and snacks in 5 plastic bags/person...I guess Thailand needs another''lets keep Thailand plastic free day'' photo opp..

[DoctorG]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

“We thought there would be less and less trash as we travelled north. But what we saw totally debunked our theory,” Suchada said. 

This was an assumption not a theory.

Throughout this article it appears that these 'scientists' make a lot of assumptions.

There are conflicting reports about polar bear populations increasing or decreasing.

They are surprised to see bears standing on rocks instead of ice. Come back in 6 months time and check again.

 

[peperobi]

Wow! And to find that they spend a lot of money. " Why look into the distance when the dirt is so close?" Probably some of that come from Thailand...

[leeneeds]

 I would donate to a world tax on paying for removal of garbage from the oceans,

our footprint is doing so much damage, Governments need pushing by the masses, 

all too late when we can not eat anything from the oceans,

[Lupatria]

How much did it cost to pay for some lecturers arctic holiday who discovered this epic secret?

And if they would find any packages of Mama noodles, and M500 bottles in the arctic sea, they would keep this news to themselves.

Meanwhile on a far and distant shore:

[Thian]

OMG they really found plastic in the arctic!!??? Bad Bad farang!!! 

[brain150]

1 hour ago, leeneeds said:

 I would donate to a world tax on paying for removal of garbage from the oceans,

our footprint is doing so much damage, Governments need pushing by the masses, 

all too late when we can not eat anything from the oceans,

That's exactly what it is all about !!! ... making you pay for something you did not do !

My footprint is pretty small and I don't throw plastic into the ocean - so it's not me !

I am not responsible for other people's deeds ... but the people who do this should be held responsible.

We might want to start with holding ALL Governments responsible for this to happen as they

hold all the power to avoid these things from happening.

 

BTW: The population of polar bears is rising not falling [according to science and in contradiction to the propaganda]

[NickJ]

It's only going to get worse. Well, maybe unless aliens invade the world and fix everything.....

[Aussieroaming]

Reminds me of a beach I went to in Africa, which was in the middle of nowhere. The beach had absolutely no access roads ( we drove in via the scrub). I had images of a pristine beach (fantasy in full swing at that stage) and when we mde it to the beach it was totally littered with plastics and broken fishing nets etc. A right tip.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

+1

It is good to have research from the North, but the situation here in Thailand is so grave that perhaps Thai scientists might focus on the source (Thailand) rather then the destination.

 

If Thailand wishes to help the Arctic, then a clean up here is the best option.

 

Clean up your own backyard or go on a nice "jolly" to the arctic??

Why let the obvious get in the way of a paid-for trip!!

[SABloke]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

“Scientists had suspected a diet change among polar bears, but this is the first time such a scene has been caught on camera,” Suchada said.

Ok then, so I'll just ignore this photo from 3 years ago.

 

[shamrock09]

This is the height of Summer in the Arctic so it is not surprising the ice is melting. If they want to see Winter they should have gone to the Antartic! However, the accumulation of plastic and other rubbish is truly distressing. This is the real problem and not politically sponsored global warming.

[Cake Monster]

" And we found trash with every step we took, literally every step."

These people really need to get out more in their own Country, the trash will soon be so deep it will be not possible to walk anywhere.

[ratcatcher]

3 hours ago, SABloke said:

Ok then, so I'll just ignore this photo from 3 years ago.

"They also saw four polar bears, standing on a cliff instead of ice sheets, with a couple feeding on vegetation. 

“Scientists had suspected a diet change among polar bears, but this is the first time such a scene has been caught on camera,” Suchada said."

I am quite surprised these researchers were shocked to see polar bears standing on hard ground and eating vegetation, given the fact that their research was being conducted in high summer in the Arctic.

Svalbard islands have a wide range of flora and edible berries.

Also most of that trash seen  is the product of the fishing fleets that harvest those waters, nets, lines and other assorted fishing gear and also vessel generated trash from food supplies.

Perhaps the Chula team can now do a study of what's below the surface of the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea off the west coast.

 

[rickudon]

What they saw was exactly what any Northern hemisphere environmental scientist could have told them (oh, and yes, Polar bears will eat vegetation if they cannot get meat, which is the normal situation in summer)

 

But i guess they needed to find out for themselves, because of all those people in USA say not a problem!

[johnno2]

15 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

They visit the arctic for the first time and are shocked by the changes from what they expected and what they saw. Very scientific.

Ocean pollution is a real problem, I admire that they are giving awareness to it. But they really need to be exposing the problems in their own backyard, and let the northern scientists do actual studies in the arctic. As for climate change, One trip up north is not going to tell them anything. They would be shocked by the difference by returning just two months later.

agree. i'm more shocked by another news article today that pattaya police say theres no prostitution in walking street ;)

[overherebc]

Return to Thailand and instigate a programme in schools, all schools, and teach the kids that the one plastic bag they throw away can kill many cuddly beautiful animals in a chain reaction all over the world.

Not a two week programme, a continuous programme.

OK, I'll wake up soon.

[Artisi]

After a useless but funded junket / holiday, it seems now that well known facts have recently been discovered by Thai experts. Of course this means Thailand is now the hub of Artic research and it would be wishful thinking that the experts would now be able to apply this new knowledge to the benefit of Thailand. 

[lamyai3]

On 8/14/2018 at 4:24 AM, webfact said:

Voranop, Suchada and their team risked encounters with polar bears and walruses to venture deep into the unexplored parts of the Arctic Ocean and gather samples of fish, marine animals and soil.

 

“There were times when I thought we wouldn’t make it,” Suchada said as she recounted her diving experience. The researchers wanted to collect animals living close to the ice sheets. 

 

When they dove they expected the water to be murky but were shocked by the zero visibility. “I couldn’t see my partner or even the watch on my wrist. Under our feet was a 50-metre deep slope. Luckily we made it back to the ship,” Suchada said. 

These heroes are making last month's cave rescue sound like a cakewalk.