Political News
7 November 2022
Constat
Biodiversity choked with plastic
From the Arctic to the Antarctic, whether in rivers, near the coast or out at sea, it cannot be denied: our pollution is omnipresent. From the microplastics that we see in each of our surface plankton nets, or in sediments, to the more insidious chemical pollution, which can’t be seen. The scale of the phenomenon makes it an issue of the century.
The Ocean shows that the solutions to this pollution are on land, at the source of the problem, and reminds us every day of the importance of sustainable development, and in particular of a more frugal and circular economy.
- 93 % of plastic waste in the sea is less than 5 mm in size
- 100 % of chemical pollution from the land ends up in the sea
- 1M tonnes of plastic discharged into the ocean every year
- 40 % of the plastics that wash up on the banks of our rivers are polystyrene
© Samuel Bollendorff
Our expeditions
Mission Microbiomes
Current expedition
Better understanding the invisible life of the ocean
Having identified and shared a large number of species of plankton, their genes and their forms with the international scientific community since 2009, this new expedition decided to take an overall approach and treat the oceanic ecosystem as a whole. To achieve that, we need to get back to the basics, to the first link in the ecosystem: the microbiome.
Tara Microplastiques
Analyses in progress
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9of the main European rivers studied
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3 500samples, all polluted
Jean-François Ghiglione, scientific director of the expedition:
Initial observations show that 100% of the samples contain microplastics, including upstream from large conurbations. We have also shown that these plastics act like sponges for pollutants which affect biodiversity. Because these microplastics are too small to collect, solutions need to be found on the ground in industry, through the law, our consumption and our behaviours.
There are biodegradable plastics?
No, the perfect biodegradable plastic doesn’t exist. Some plastics are considered biodegradable because they decompose in an industrial composter at a temperature higher than 60°C. In nature it is not so easy…
More…
Invisible pollution
©Maéva Bardy
Sampling
Manta Net
©Samuel Bollendorff
Sample
Plankton and microplastics seen under the microscope
©Maéva Bardy
Collecting samples
The rosette
Marin Le Roux
Filtration
Sample of sea water
©Vincent Hilaire
Science
Analysis of samples
© Noelie Pansiot
© Samuel Bollendorff
Raising awareness
Educational kit
© Christine Criscuolo
News
Fondation Tara Océan news
Mission Microbiomes
21 October 2022
Giving a voice to the invisible majority of the Ocean: the marine microbiome
Mission Microbiomes
30 August 2022
Upwelling phenomenon in the Benguela Current with Emma Rocke, lead scientist aboard the schooner Tara
Mission Microbiomes
5 November 2021
[COP26] Making the Ocean our best ally in the fight against climate change
Culture Océan
Immerse yourself in our expeditions
Journal of a scientist
Trapped in the ice
Discover the account of Marion Lauters, student and quartermaster on Tara during Arctic drift..
A porthole on the ocean – episode 1: Coccolithophores
Climb aboard the schooner Tara and discover the secret world of coccolithophores What are coccolithophores? What do they look like? Why are they so important for us?
A porthole on the ocean – episode 5: Sarah Auffret, polar explorer, committed to the planet
In the 5th “A Porthole on the Ocean” podcast, we want to introduce you to Sarah Auffret, a polar explorer, committed to the planet and the struggle against plastic pollution, who sadly died in a tragic accident.
Discover our commitments and climate research
Discover our commitments and research for the Arctic
