LOS ANGELES — The corruption of a natural process that directs seabirds toward their prey is tricking the animals into eating plastic floating in the ocean. <br /> <br />Five trillion pieces of plastic litter the oceans, weighing a total of 250,000 tons. Meanwhile, more than 200 species of marine life have been found to eat plastic, including birds, fish, turtles and mammals, the Los Angeles Times reported. <br /> <br />Researchers from the University of California, Davis said that plastic sets an “olfactory trap” for seabirds, according to a study published in the journal Science Advances. <br /> <br />When seabirds’ prey such as krill eat algae, the plants emit a sulfurous compound called dimethyl sulfide, or DMS, which has a strong smell. The odor gives a chemical signal to seabirds about where they can find food. <br /> <br />However, plastic floating in the ocean accumulates organic matter, including DMS. The plastic then emits the smell of DMS, which entices seabirds to eat it, according to the study. <br /> <br />According to the projections of a recent Australian study, 99 percent of all seabird species will have eaten at least some plastic by 2050, the Los Angeles Times reported.
