Tsunami debris moving faster and bringing more invasive species than expected
Frankly it's probably already too late
Marine biologists initially estimated that it would take a long time for debris from the Japanese tsunami to make it to American shores. And that in that time, most of the potentially invasive species would have been scrubbed off the debris by the difficult ocean crossing. Unfortunately, this is turning out not to be the case. When a dock (a structure 60 feet long and 20 feet wide) was found recently on an Oregon beach, its original complement of near-shore creatures was not only surviving, it was thriving.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department destroyed the dock, but the truth is, this debris is washing up every day, and we probably won't be able to get it all in time.
Image courtesy Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Blog:
Just One More Link