How do plastics impact marine ecosystems?

Plastics significantly impact marine ecosystems primarily through ingestion by wildlife and entanglement. Marine animals, including fish, seabirds, and mammals, often confuse plastic debris for food, leading to ingestion. Consuming plastics can cause serious health issues for these animals, such as internal injuries, blockages, and exposure to harmful chemicals associated with the plastics. Moreover, ingestion of plastics can lead to bioaccumulation of toxins in the food chain, impacting not only individual species but also entire ecosystems.

Entanglement in plastic waste, such as fishing nets and six-pack rings, can cause physical harm to marine animals, restrict their movement, and lead to injury or death. This type of interaction disrupts the natural behaviors and populations of marine species, contributing to declines in biodiversity.

In contrast to the other options, which suggest positive effects of plastics, the reality is that plastics pose severe threats to marine life and ecosystems by disrupting natural processes and harming wildlife. Thus, the profound impact through ingestion and entanglement firmly establishes option B as the correct answer.