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Le PT, Hardesty BD, Auman HJ, Fischer AM. Frontal processes as drivers of floating marine debris in coastal areas. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 200:106654. [PMID: 39053211 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
The influence of floating marine debris (FMD) on coastal and marine communities and ecosystems is undeniable, and attention is increasingly focused on ecologically and biologically important coastal areas. To protect marine life and valuable resources from FMD pollution, identifying FMD accumulation zones is recognized as a priority. One of the coastal ocean processes found governing the distribution of FMD is water convergence (frontal zones). These fronts are driven by various oceanographical factors. To date, the transport and accumulation of FMD in relation to fronts in coastal areas is poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we reviewed various types of ocean fronts as well as FMD accumulation along frontal zones in coastal areas defined as the region between the coastline and the shelf break. Frontogenesis (physical processes related to frontal formation) were reviewed alongside studies on FMD accumulation in frontal zones to identify physical factors that drive the pathways and accumulation in these areas. This review will contribute to our understanding of accumulation hotspots of FMD within ocean fronts and identify gaps for further research on developing a proxy for FMD hotspot identification in ecologically important coastal areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuc Td Le
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
| | - Britta Denise Hardesty
- The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia, Hobart, TAS, Australia; Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Heidi J Auman
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Andrew M Fischer
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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2
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Tasseron PF, van Emmerik THM, Vriend P, Hauk R, Alberti F, Mellink Y, van der Ploeg M. Defining plastic pollution hotspots. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173294. [PMID: 38763189 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution in the natural environment poses a growing threat to ecosystems and human health, prompting urgent needs for monitoring, prevention and clean-up measures, and new policies. To effectively prioritize resource allocation and mitigation strategies, it is key to identify and define plastic hotspots. UNEP's draft global agreement on plastic pollution mandates prioritizing hotspots, suggesting a potential need for a defined term. Yet, the delineation of hotspots varies considerably across plastic pollution studies, and a definition is often lacking or inconsistent without a clear purpose and boundaries of the term. In this paper, we applied four common definitions of hotspot locations to plastic pollution datasets ranging from urban areas to a global scale. Our findings reveal that these hotspot definitions encompass between 0.8 % to 93.3 % of the total plastic pollution, covering <0.1 % to 50.3 % of the total locations. Given this wide range of results and the possibility of temporal inconsistency in hotspots, we emphasize the need for fit-for-purpose criteria and a unified approach to defining plastic hotspots. Therefore, we designed a step-wise framework to define hotspots by determining the purpose, units, spatial scale, temporal scale, and threshold values. Incorporating these steps in research and policymaking yields a harmonized definition of hotspots, facilitating the development of effective plastic pollution prevention and reduction measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo F Tasseron
- Hydrology and Environmental Hydraulics Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions, 1018 JA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Tim H M van Emmerik
- Hydrology and Environmental Hydraulics Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Paul Vriend
- Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, 2515 XP The Hague, the Netherlands
| | - Rahel Hauk
- Hydrology and Environmental Hydraulics Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Francesca Alberti
- Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions, 1018 JA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Yvette Mellink
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6709 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Martine van der Ploeg
- Hydrology and Environmental Hydraulics Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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3
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Hahladakis JN. A meta-research analysis on the biological impact of plastic litter in the marine biota. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 928:172504. [PMID: 38636865 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Marine litter and more specifically plastic marine litter is nowadays considered a global issue with unprecedented impact and consequences to the entire marine ecosystem and biota. The current situation that has been created worldwide due to the abundance of plastic litter in the Earth's Seas has been characterized as alarming, necessitating the immediate action for an overall reduction of plastic waste, better collection and recycling schemes and beach-shoreline clean-ups. In this article we attempt to delve into the details of the magnitude of the impact that plastic litter have caused to marine biota via a meta-research analysis, by compiling, combining, analysing and presenting data from various relative works, using primarily scientific and, secondarily, grey literature. Apart from the threats that plastic marine litter pose to the marine ecosystem, they present potential threats to humans, as well, via food chain. Aside from understating the risks and uncertainties contained in the hereby collected and presenting information, this study can provide an evidence base for decision and policy makers into implementing the appropriate action plans for reducing and, in time, mitigating this immense problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- John N Hahladakis
- Center for Sustainable Development, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar.
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4
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Smith CE, Gilby BL, van de Merwe J, Jones J, Tait H, Townsend KA. Predictive modelling reveals Australian continental risk hotspots for marine debris interactions with key threatened species. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17313. [PMID: 38837834 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic debris is a global threat that impacts threatened species through various lethal and sub-lethal consequences, as well as overall ecosystem health. This study used a database of over 24,000 beach surveys of marine debris collated by the Australian Marine Debris Initiative from 2012 to 2021, with two key objectives: (1) identify variables that most influence the occurrence of debris hotspots on a continental scale and (2) use these findings to identify likely hotspots of interaction between threatened species and marine debris. The number of particles found in each beach survey was modelled alongside fifteen biological, social, and physical spatial variables including land use, physical oceanography, population, rainfall, distance to waste facilities, ports, and mangroves to identify the significant drivers of debris deposition. The model of best fit for predicting debris particle abundance was calculated using a generalized additive model. Overall, debris was more abundant at sites near catchments with high annual rainfall (mm), intensive land use (km2), and that were nearer to ports (km) and mangroves (km). These results support previous studies which state that mangroves are a significant sink for marine debris, and that large ports and urbanized catchments are significant sources for marine debris. We illustrate the applicability of these models by quantifying significant overlap between debris hotspots and the distributions for four internationally listed threatened species that exhibit debris interactions; green turtle (26,868 km2), dugong (16,164 km2), Australian sea lion (2903 km2) and Flesh-footed Shearwater (2413 km2). This equates to less than 1% (Flesh-footed Shearwater, Australian sea lion), over 2% (green sea turtle) and over 5% (dugong) of their habitat being identified as areas of high risk for marine debris interactions. The results of this study hold practical value, informing decision-making processes, managing debris pollution at continental scales, as well as identifying gaps in species monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E Smith
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ben L Gilby
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Petrie, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jason van de Merwe
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jodi Jones
- Tangaroa Blue Foundation, Australian Marine Debris Initiative Database, Dunsborough, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Heidi Tait
- Tangaroa Blue Foundation, Australian Marine Debris Initiative Database, Dunsborough, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kathy A Townsend
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia
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5
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Sharma S, Bhardwaj A, Thakur M, Saini A. Understanding microplastic pollution of marine ecosystem: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:41402-41445. [PMID: 37442935 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28314-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are emerging as prominent pollutants across the globe. Oceans are becoming major sinks for these pollutants, and their presence is widespread in coastal regions, oceanic surface waters, water column, and sediments. Studies have revealed that microplastics cause serious threats to the marine ecosystem as well as human beings. In the past few years, many research efforts have focused on studying different aspects relating to microplastic pollution of the oceans. This review summarizes sources, migration routes, and ill effects of marine microplastic pollution along with various conventional as well as advanced methods for microplastics analysis and control. However, various knowledge gaps in detection and analysis require attention in order to understand the sources and transport of microplastics, which is critical to deploying mitigation strategies at appropriate locations. Advanced removal methods and an integrated approach are necessary, including government policies and stringent regulations to control the release of plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Shoolini Institute of Life Sciences and Business Management, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Aprajita Bhardwaj
- Department of Biotechnology, Shoolini Institute of Life Sciences and Business Management, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Monika Thakur
- Department of Microbiology, Shoolini Institute of Life Sciences and Business Management, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Anita Saini
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Maharaja Agrasen University, Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, India.
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6
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Tariq A, Ahmad SR, Qadir A. Nesting material adaptation of native bird species with anthropogenic litter along an urbanization gradient in Pakistan. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 249:118435. [PMID: 38350545 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Rapid urbanization and associated waste generation have become a mounting ecological concern for wildlife, especially avian communities. Research has primarily focused on investigating the impacts of human activities on marine birds with comparatively less focus on terrestrial species that live in far more anthropized environments and are at significant risk. Our study has explored the abundance and characteristics of anthropogenic litter in 70 nests of four generalist bird species: Bank Myna (Acridotheres ginginianus), Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), Black Kite (Milvus migrans) and House Crow (Corvus splendens), within the city of Lahore (Pakistan) and its surroundings, by determining and following an urbanization gradient. The overall frequency of litter occurrence (FLO%) for all the sampled nests was 89%. Over 80% of the recorded litter items consisted of plastic materials, primarily dominated by sheet-like plastics. There was a strong association between fabric and Black Kite nests, and metal and House Crow nests. Litter incorporation increased across the gradient from rural to urban habitats. The highest FLO% was found in nests sampled from waste dumping sites and urban sites (95%-100%), where anthropogenic influence was more intense. The high level of litter incorporation is potentially indicative of a species' adaptive response to urbanization, associated with the decline in natural nesting material and availability of anthropogenic litter. These findings highlight the need for strengthening the existing global database for terrestrial litter and its effect on wildlife and devising policy actions for better waste management and conservation of natural ecosystem balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anum Tariq
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Sajid Rashid Ahmad
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Qadir
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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7
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Garrard SL, Clark JR, Martin N, Nelms SE, Botterell ZLR, Cole M, Coppock RL, Galloway TS, Green DS, Jones M, Lindeque PK, Tillin HM, Beaumont NJ. Identifying potential high-risk zones for land-derived plastic litter to marine megafauna and key habitats within the North Atlantic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171282. [PMID: 38412875 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The pervasive use of plastic in modern society has led to plastic litter becoming ubiquitous within the ocean. Land-based sources of plastic litter are thought to account for the majority of plastic pollution in the marine environment, with plastic bags, bottles, wrappers, food containers and cutlery among the most common items found. In the marine environment, plastic is a transboundary pollutant, with the potential to cause damage far beyond the political borders from where it originated, making the management of this global pollutant particularly complex. In this study, the risks of land-derived plastic litter (LDPL) to major groups of marine megafauna - seabirds, cetaceans, pinnipeds, elasmobranchs, turtles, sirenians, tuna and billfish - and a selection of productive and biodiverse biogenic habitats - coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, saltmarsh and kelp beds - were analysed using a Spatial Risk Assessment approach. The approach combines metrics for vulnerability (mechanism of harm for megafauna group or habitat), hazard (plastic abundance) and exposure (distribution of group or habitat). Several potential high-risk zones (HRZs) across the North Atlantic were highlighted, including the Azores, the UK, the French and US Atlantic coasts, and the US Gulf of Mexico. Whilst much of the modelled LDPL driving risk in the UK originated from domestic sources, in other HRZs, such as the Azores archipelago and the US Gulf of Mexico, plastic originated almost exclusively from external (non-domestic) sources. LDPL from Caribbean islands - some of the largest generators of marine plastic pollution in the dataset of river plastic emissions used in the study - was noted as a significant input to HRZs across both sides of the Atlantic. These findings highlight the potential of Spatial Risk Assessment analyses to determine the location of HRZs and understand where plastic debris monitoring and management should be prioritised, enabling more efficient deployment of interventions and mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Garrard
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom.
| | - James R Clark
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola Martin
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah E Nelms
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Zara L R Botterell
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Cole
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel L Coppock
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Tamara S Galloway
- Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Dannielle S Green
- Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, United Kingdom
| | - Megan Jones
- Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, United Kingdom
| | - Pennie K Lindeque
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Heidi M Tillin
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola J Beaumont
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
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Saikumar S, Mani R, Ganesan M, Dhinakarasamy I, Palanisami T, Gopal D. Trophic transfer and their impact of microplastics on estuarine food chain model. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 464:132927. [PMID: 37984149 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic contamination in marine ecosystems, and its negative effects through trophic transfer among marine organisms, remains a growing concern. Our study investigates the trophic transfer and individual impacts of polystyrene microplastics (MPs) in an estuarine food chain model, comprising Artemia salina as primary organism, Litopenaeus vanamei as secondary organism, and Oreochromis niloticus as tertiary organism. A. salina were exposed to 1 µm polystyrene microplastics (106 particles/ml), further it was fed to L.vannamei, which, in turn, were fed to O.niloticus. MPs transfer was studied over 24 and 48 h. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed MPs presence in the gut and fecal matter of all the test organisms. Histopathology revealed MPs in the gut epithelium, but did not translocate to other tissues of the test species. MPs exposed A.salina had a bioconcentration factor of 0.0029 ± 0.0008 (24 h) and 0.0000941 ± 0.0000721 (48 h). Whereas, the bioaccumulation factor values for L. vanamei were 0.00012143 ± 0.000009 (24 h) and 0.0025899 ± 0.0024101 (48 h), and for O.niloticus were 0.154992 ± 0.007695 (24 h) and 0.00972577 ± 0.00589923 (48 h). Despite low MPs transfer among trophic levels, the induced stress was evident through biochemical responses in all the test species. This implies the potential risk of MPs ultimately reaching humans via the food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakthinarenderan Saikumar
- Centre for Ocean Research, Sathyabama Ocean Research Field Facility, ESTC Cell - Marine Biotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Ravi Mani
- Centre for Ocean Research, Sathyabama Ocean Research Field Facility, ESTC Cell - Marine Biotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India..
| | - Mirunalini Ganesan
- Centre for Ocean Research, Sathyabama Ocean Research Field Facility, ESTC Cell - Marine Biotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Inbakandan Dhinakarasamy
- Centre for Ocean Research, Sathyabama Ocean Research Field Facility, ESTC Cell - Marine Biotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Thavamani Palanisami
- Environmental and Plastic Innovation Cluster (EPIC), Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Dharani Gopal
- Marine Biotechnology, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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9
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Waqas M, Wong MS, Stocchino A, Abbas S, Hafeez S, Zhu R. Marine plastic pollution detection and identification by using remote sensing-meta analysis. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115746. [PMID: 37951122 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
The persistent plastic litter, originating from different sources and transported from rivers to oceans, has posed serious biological, ecological, and chemical effects on the marine ecosystem, and is considered a global issue. In the past decade, many studies have identified, monitored, and tracked marine plastic debris in coastal and open ocean areas using remote sensing technologies. Compared to traditional surveying methods, high-resolution (spatial and temporal) multispectral or hyperspectral remote sensing data have been substantially used to monitor floating marine macro litter (FMML). In this systematic review, we present an overview of remote sensing data and techniques for detecting FMML, as well as their challenges and opportunities. We reviewed the studies based on different sensors and platforms, spatial and spectral resolution, ground sampling data, plastic detection methods, and accuracy obtained in detecting marine litter. In addition, this study elaborates the usefulness of high-resolution remote sensing data in Visible (VIS), Near-infrared (NIR), and Short-Wave InfraRed (SWIR) range, along with spectral signatures of plastic, in-situ samples, and spectral indices for automatic detection of FMML. Moreover, the Thermal Infrared (TIR), Synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data were introduced and these were demonstrated that could be used as a supplement dataset for the identification and quantification of FMML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Waqas
- Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Man Sing Wong
- Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Research Institute of Land and Space, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Alessandro Stocchino
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sawaid Abbas
- Remote Sensing, GIS and Climatic Research Lab (RSGCRL), National Center of GIS and Space Applications, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Sidrah Hafeez
- Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Rui Zhu
- Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Research Institute of Land and Space, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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10
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Sousa-Guedes D, Cunha SC, Fernandes JO, Semedo D, Sillero N, Marco A, Bessa F. Can plastic pollution contaminate loggerhead turtle nests? Evaluation of flame retardants (PBDEs) levels in the sand. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 195:115550. [PMID: 37722265 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a global environmental issue affecting multiple ecosystems, namely sea turtle nesting grounds. We analysed the potential chemical contamination caused by plastic debris in loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nests, focusing on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, a class of flame retardants). For that, we conducted a field experiment in a turtle hatchery (Cabo Verde) by placing plastic fragments in the nests at two depths: surface and ~20 cm. We evaluated the nests' success and quantified the levels of PBDEs in the sand using GC-MS/MS. Our results suggest that plastics on the nests' surface can leak contaminants, infiltrating the sand up to 20 cm. Buried plastics showed no relevant leakage of chemicals. While hatching and emergence success was unaffected, we found a relationship between leucistic embryos and contamination levels. Our study highlights the threats of plastic accumulation on beaches, which can potentially leak chemicals and contaminate turtle nests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Sousa-Guedes
- Centro de Investigação em Ciências Geo-Espaciais (CICGE), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Alameda do Monte da Virgem, 4430-146 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal; BIOS.CV - Conservation of the Environment and Sustainable Development, CP 52111 Sal Rei, Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde; Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, C/ Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Sara C Cunha
- LAQV/Requimte, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
| | - José O Fernandes
- LAQV/Requimte, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Diana Semedo
- BIOS.CV - Conservation of the Environment and Sustainable Development, CP 52111 Sal Rei, Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde
| | - Neftalí Sillero
- Centro de Investigação em Ciências Geo-Espaciais (CICGE), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Alameda do Monte da Virgem, 4430-146 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
| | - Adolfo Marco
- BIOS.CV - Conservation of the Environment and Sustainable Development, CP 52111 Sal Rei, Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde; Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, C/ Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Filipa Bessa
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
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11
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Jagiello Z, Reynolds SJ, Nagy J, Mainwaring MC, Ibáñez-Álamo JD. Why do some bird species incorporate more anthropogenic materials into their nests than others? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220156. [PMID: 37427475 PMCID: PMC10331902 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Many bird species incorporate anthropogenic materials (e.g. sweet wrappers, cigarette butts and plastic strings) into their nests. Anthropogenic materials have become widely available as nesting materials in marine and terrestrial environments globally. These human-made objects can provide important benefits to birds such as serving as reliable signals to conspecifics or protecting against ectoparasites, but they can also incur fundamental survival and energetic costs via offspring entanglement and reduced insulative properties, respectively. From an ecological perspective, several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the use of anthropogenic nest materials (ANMs) by birds but no previous interspecific study has tried to identify the underlying mechanisms of this behaviour. In this study, we performed a systematic literature search and ran phylogenetically controlled comparative analyses to examine interspecific variation in the use of ANM and to examine the influence of several ecological and life-history traits. We found that sexual dimorphism and nest type significantly influenced the use of ANMs by birds providing support for the 'signalling hypothesis' that implies that ANMs reflect the quality of the nest builder. However, we found no support for the 'age' and 'new location' hypotheses, nor for a phylogenetic pattern in this behaviour, suggesting that it is widespread throughout birds. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolutionary ecology of nests: a cross-taxon approach'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzanna Jagiello
- Department of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625 Poznań, Poland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - S. James Reynolds
- Centre for Ornithology, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- The Army Ornithological Society (AOS), c/o Prince Consort Library, Knollys Road, Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 1PS, UK
| | - Jenő Nagy
- ELKH-DE Conservation Biology Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Mark C. Mainwaring
- Field Research Station at Fort Missoula, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2DG, UK
| | - Juan D. Ibáñez-Álamo
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
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12
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de Farias DSD, da Costa Bomfim Ventura A, de Lima Silva FJ, de Souza Cavalcante RM, Rossi S, Gavilan SA, da Silva Santana VG, do Amaral VS. The use of an alimentary index to assess anthropogenic debris on green turtles (Chelonia mydas). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 193:115184. [PMID: 37352801 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Studies on novel methodologies addressed to quantification of anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) types ingested by green turtles (Chelonia mydas) is not common in the scientific literature. To fill this gap, we used the alimentary index (IAi) to quantify and classify AMD ingested by green turtles stranded in the Potiguar Basin, northeastern Brazil. We classified 295 green turtles as juveniles (JUV-I (n = 190) and JUV-II (n = 58)) and adults (ADU (n = 47)). We collected gut contents during necropsy and analyzed them using the IAi. The IAi values were categorized as main (IAi ≥ 0.5), secondary (0.25 ≤ IAi < 0.5), and accessory (IAi < 0.25). The results revealed that transparent soft plastic was an accessory item for the three size groups and the second most frequent item (IAi = 0.23) for JUV-I. Our study brings insights into the application of the IAi to evaluate the amount and types of AMD ingested by green turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Solon Dias de Farias
- Programa de Doutorado em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente - DDMA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil; Projeto Cetáceos da Costa Branca - Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (PCCB-UERN), Campus Central, CEP 59600-000, Mossoró, RN, Brazil; Centro de Estudos e Monitoramento Ambiental (CEMAM), CEP 59655-000 Areia Branca, RN, Brazil; Laboratório de Morfofisiologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Aline da Costa Bomfim Ventura
- Programa de Doutorado em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente - DDMA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil; Projeto Cetáceos da Costa Branca - Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (PCCB-UERN), Campus Central, CEP 59600-000, Mossoró, RN, Brazil; Centro de Estudos e Monitoramento Ambiental (CEMAM), CEP 59655-000 Areia Branca, RN, Brazil; Laboratório de Morfofisiologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Flávio José de Lima Silva
- Programa de Doutorado em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente - DDMA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil; Projeto Cetáceos da Costa Branca - Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (PCCB-UERN), Campus Central, CEP 59600-000, Mossoró, RN, Brazil; Centro de Estudos e Monitoramento Ambiental (CEMAM), CEP 59655-000 Areia Branca, RN, Brazil
| | - Raquel Marinho de Souza Cavalcante
- Projeto Cetáceos da Costa Branca - Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (PCCB-UERN), Campus Central, CEP 59600-000, Mossoró, RN, Brazil; Centro de Estudos e Monitoramento Ambiental (CEMAM), CEP 59655-000 Areia Branca, RN, Brazil; Laboratório de Morfofisiologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Silmara Rossi
- Laboratório de Morfofisiologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Simone Almeida Gavilan
- Projeto Cetáceos da Costa Branca - Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (PCCB-UERN), Campus Central, CEP 59600-000, Mossoró, RN, Brazil; Centro de Estudos e Monitoramento Ambiental (CEMAM), CEP 59655-000 Areia Branca, RN, Brazil; Laboratório de Morfofisiologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Gabriel da Silva Santana
- Programa de Doutorado em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente - DDMA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil; Projeto Cetáceos da Costa Branca - Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (PCCB-UERN), Campus Central, CEP 59600-000, Mossoró, RN, Brazil; Centro de Estudos e Monitoramento Ambiental (CEMAM), CEP 59655-000 Areia Branca, RN, Brazil
| | - Viviane Souza do Amaral
- Programa de Doutorado em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente - DDMA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil; Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica, Departamento de Biologia e Genética, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CEP 59075-000 Natal, RN, Brazil.
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13
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A Preliminary Report of Plastic Ingestion by Hawksbill and Green Turtles in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13020314. [PMID: 36670854 PMCID: PMC9854423 DOI: 10.3390/ani13020314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Plastic pollution is a major environmental concern confronting marine animals. Sea turtles are considered a bio-indicator of plastic pollution, but there is little information regarding plastic ingestion by turtles in the Red Sea. With large-scale development projects being built along the Saudi Arabian coast, it is important to have a baseline for plastic ingestion before construction is complete. (2) Methods: Ten deceased sea turtles (four hawksbill and six green turtles) were collected along the Saudi Arabian coastline. Necropsies were conducted, and the entire gastrointestinal tracts were extracted and the contents were passed through a 1 mm mesh sieve. (3) Results: We found that 40% of the turtles in this study had ingested plastics. Thread-like plastics were the most common plastic category, and multi-colored was the most prevalent color category. (4) Conclusions: Monitoring of the plastic ingestion by marine megafauna should be conducted as a long-term assessment of the developments' impacts. Additionally, conservation efforts should be focused on removing plastics (namely ghost nests and fishing lines) from the reefs and reducing the amount of plastic entering the sea.
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14
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Merlino S, Locritani M, Guarnieri A, Delrosso D, Bianucci M, Paterni M. Marine Litter Tracking System: A Case Study with Open-Source Technology and a Citizen Science-Based Approach. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:935. [PMID: 36679731 PMCID: PMC9863889 DOI: 10.3390/s23020935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
It is well established that most of the plastic pollution found in the oceans is transported via rivers. Unfortunately, the main processes contributing to plastic and debris displacement through riparian systems is still poorly understood. The Marine Litter Drifter project from the Arno River aims at using modern consumer software and hardware technologies to track the movements of real anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) from rivers. The innovative "Marine Litter Trackers" (MLT) were utilized as they are reliable, robust, self-powered and they present almost no maintenance costs. Furthermore, they can be built not only by those trained in the field but also by those with no specific expertise, including high school students, simply by following the instructions. Five dispersion experiments were successfully conducted from April 2021 to December 2021, using different types of trackers in different seasons and weather conditions. The maximum distance tracked was 2845 km for a period of 94 days. The activity at sea was integrated by use of Lagrangian numerical models that also assisted in planning the deployments and the recovery of drifters. The observed tracking data in turn were used for calibration and validation, recursively improving their quality. The dynamics of marine litter (ML) dispersion in the Tyrrhenian Sea is also discussed, along with the potential for open-source approaches including the "citizen science" perspective for both improving big data collection and educating/awareness-raising on AMD issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Merlino
- CNR-ISMAR (Istituto di Scienze Marine-Sede di La Spezia), 19032 La Spezia, Italy
| | - Marina Locritani
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Roma 2, 00143 Roma, Italy
| | - Antonio Guarnieri
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Damiano Delrosso
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Bianucci
- CNR-ISMAR (Istituto di Scienze Marine-Sede di La Spezia), 19032 La Spezia, Italy
| | - Marco Paterni
- CNR-IFC (Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica-Pisa), 56124 Pisa, Italy
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15
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Abreo NAS, Aurelio RM, Kobayashi VB, Thompson KF. 'Eye in the sky': Off-the-shelf unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) highlights exposure of marine turtles to floating litter (FML) in nearshore waters of Mayo Bay, Philippines. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 186:114489. [PMID: 36549238 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Litter is a serious threat to the marine environment, with detrimental effects on wildlife and marine biodiversity. Limited data as a result of funding and logistical challenges in developing countries hamper our understanding of the problem. Here, we employed commercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as a cost-effective tool to study the exposure of marine turtles to floating marine litter (FML) in waters of Mayo Bay, Philippines. A quadcopter UAV was flown autonomously with on-board camera capturing videos during the flight. Still frames were extracted when either turtle or litter were detected in post-flight processing. The extracted frames were georeferenced and mapped using QGIS software. Results showed that turtles are highly exposed to FML in nearshore waters. Moreover, spatial dependence between FML and turtles was also observed. The study highlights the effectiveness of UAVs in marine litter research and underscores the threat of FML to turtles in nearshore waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Angelo S Abreo
- Marine Litter Project, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory - Environmental Studies Group, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines; Institute of Advanced Studies, Davao del Norte State College, Panabo City, Philippines.
| | - Remie M Aurelio
- Center for the Advancement of Research in Mindanao, Office of Research, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines
| | - Vladimer B Kobayashi
- Marine Litter Project, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory - Environmental Studies Group, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines; Department of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines
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16
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Sousa‐Guedes D, Sillero N, Bessa F, Marco A. Plastic pollution can affect the emergence patterns of the loggerhead turtle hatchlings. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Sousa‐Guedes
- Centro de Investigação em Ciências Geo‐Espaciais (CICGE) Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto Vila Nova de Gaia Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences University of Coimbra, MARE ‐ Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ ARNET – Aquatic Research Network Coimbra Portugal
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, C/ Américo Vespucio Sevilla Spain
- BIOS.CV ‐ Conservation of the Environment and Sustainable Development Sal Rei Cabo Verde
| | - N. Sillero
- Centro de Investigação em Ciências Geo‐Espaciais (CICGE) Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto Vila Nova de Gaia Portugal
| | - F. Bessa
- Department of Life Sciences University of Coimbra, MARE ‐ Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ ARNET – Aquatic Research Network Coimbra Portugal
| | - A. Marco
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, C/ Américo Vespucio Sevilla Spain
- BIOS.CV ‐ Conservation of the Environment and Sustainable Development Sal Rei Cabo Verde
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17
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Savoca MS, Kühn S, Sun C, Avery-Gomm S, Choy CA, Dudas S, Hong SH, Hyrenbach KD, Li TH, Ng CKY, Provencher JF, Lynch JM. Towards a North Pacific Ocean long-term monitoring program for plastic pollution: A review and recommendations for plastic ingestion bioindicators. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 310:119861. [PMID: 35940480 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Marine debris is now a ubiquitous component of the Anthropocene global ocean. Plastic ingestion by marine wildlife was first reported in the 1960s and since that time, roughly one thousand marine species have been reported to consume this debris. This study focuses on plastic ingestion by marine invertebrates and vertebrates in the North Pacific Ocean. Specifically, we reviewed the scientific literature to assess the scope of the problem, identified key bioindicator species, and proposed guidelines for future monitoring of plastic debris in North Pacific marine ecosystems. Our meta-analysis confirmed that the North Pacific is among the most polluted ocean regions globally; roughly half of all fish and seabird specimens and more than three-quarters of sea turtles and bivalve specimens examined in this region had consumed plastic. While there are not enough standardized data to assess if these ingestion rates are changing, sampling standardization and reporting of methods are improving over time. Using a rubric-evaluation approach, we evaluated 352 species for their potential to serve as bioindicators of the prevalence of plastic pollution in the North Pacific. This analysis revealed a suite of 12 bioindicator species candidates which sample a variety of ecosystem components and cover a wide range of plastic size classes. Thus, we contend that these bioindicator candidates provide a key foundation for developing a comprehensive plastic monitoring program in the region. To enhance the utility of these bioindicators, we developed a framework for standardized data collection to minimize methodological variability across different studies and to facilitate the assessment of temporal trends over space and time. Tracking plastic ingestion by these bioindicators will help to assess the effectiveness of mitigation actions in the region, a critical step to evaluate progress towards sustainability and improved ocean health in the 21st century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Savoca
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.
| | - Susanne Kühn
- Wageningen Marine Research, Ankerpark 27, 1781 AG Den Helder, the Netherlands
| | - ChengJun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-environmental Science and Technology, Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Stephanie Avery-Gomm
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - C Anela Choy
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Dudas
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, BC, Canada; University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Sang Hee Hong
- Risk Assessment Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Republic of Korea
| | - K David Hyrenbach
- Hawai'i Pacific University, Center for Marine Debris Research, Waimānalo, HI, USA
| | - Tsung-Hsien Li
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, 94450, Taiwan; Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Institute of Marine Ecology and Conservation, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Connie Ka-Yan Ng
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jennifer F Provencher
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer M Lynch
- Hawai'i Pacific University, Center for Marine Debris Research, Waimānalo, HI, USA; National Institute of Standards and Technology, Chemical Sciences Division, Waimānalo, HI, USA
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18
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Compa M, Wilcox C, Hardesty BD, Alomar C, March D, Deudero S. Quantifying the risk of plastic ingestion by ichthyofauna in the Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean Sea). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 183:114075. [PMID: 36084610 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the risk plastic debris ingestion poses to coastal marine taxa in the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean Sea. Here, we use species observations and environmental data to model habitat maps for 42 species of fish. For each species, we then match estimates of habitat suitability against the spatial distribution of plastic debris to quantify plastic exposure, which we further combine with species-wise ingestion rates to map the risk of plastic ingestion. The results indicate that the risk of plastic ingestion is particularly high in the north-west and south-east regions and the risks varied strongly between species, with those at higher trophic levels being the most vulnerable overall. Extending this work to other coastal regions within the Mediterranean Sea and beyond will allow managers and policymakers to target the most appropriate areas and types of interventions for mitigating plastic pollution on coastal diversity in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Compa
- Centro Nacional Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Mallorca, Spain.
| | - Chris Wilcox
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Britta Denise Hardesty
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Carme Alomar
- Centro Nacional Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Mallorca, Spain
| | - David March
- Marine Zoology Unit, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, Catedrático José Beltrán 2, Paterna, 46980 Valencia, Spain; Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, TR10 9FE Penryn (Cornwall), United Kingdom
| | - Salud Deudero
- Centro Nacional Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Mallorca, Spain
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19
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Compa M, Alomar C, López Cortès MF, Rios-Fuster B, Morató M, Capó X, Fagiano V, Deudero S. Multispecies Assessment of Anthropogenic Particle Ingestion in a Marine Protected Area. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1375. [PMID: 36290281 PMCID: PMC9598462 DOI: 10.3390/biology11101375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We have applied a multispecies ecosystem approach to analyse the ingestion of anthropogenic particles (AP) in the gastrointestinal tract of 313 individuals (17 fish species and 8 invertebrate species) from pelagic, demersal and benthic habitats in a marine protected area off the Western Mediterranean (Cabrera National Park). We have quantified and characterized the ingestion at several taxonomic levels of fish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, bivalves, and jellyfish in relation to biotic/abiotic factors based on taxonomic groups, trophic guilds (functional groups) and habitats. AP ingestion occurrence ranged from 26 to 100% with no significant differences among taxonomic groups. The fish within the MPA showed an overall ingestion occurrence ranging from 0 to 100%, the echinoderms from 29 to 100%, the bivalves from 72 to 96% and the jellyfish 36% ingestion. The ecosystem approach applied to evaluate overall AP ingestion within the species reported that for trophic guilds, the omnivorous species ingested the highest amounts of anthropogenic items, while herbivores ingested significantly fewer items than all other trophic guilds. Moreover, no significant differences were found amongst habitats, indicating a homogeneous spatial distribution of APs at all studied habitats. The multispecies approach provided insight into the high APs exposure to species within Cabrera MPA, highlighting the potential harm linked with marine litter that threatens marine biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Compa
- Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain
| | - Carme Alomar
- Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain
| | - María Francesca López Cortès
- Dirección General de Espacios Naturales y Biodiversidad, Parque Nacional Marítimo-Terrestre del Archipiélago de Cabrera, Gremi de Corredors 10, Polígon de Son Rossinyol, 07009 Palma, Spain
| | - Beatriz Rios-Fuster
- Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain
| | - Mercè Morató
- Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain
| | - Xavier Capó
- Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain
| | - Valentina Fagiano
- Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain
| | - Salud Deudero
- Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (IEO-CSIC), Muelle de Poniente s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain
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20
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Solomando A, Pujol F, Sureda A, Pinya S. Ingestion and characterization of plastic debris by loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, in the Balearic Islands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:154159. [PMID: 35231507 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plastic waste has become ubiquitous pollutants in seas and oceans and can affect a wide range of species. For some marine species, plastic debris could pose a considerable threat through entanglement, ingestion, and habitat degradation and loss. Sea turtles are one of the most sensitive species, as their migratory behaviour and multifaceted life cycles make these reptiles especially vulnerable to the negative effects of plastic debris. The present study aimed to assess the amount and composition of plastic debris ingested by loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta, Linnaeus, 1758) in the Balearic Islands Sea, thusly providing new information to complete the knowledge for this topic. In this work, 45 stranded dead C. caretta specimens were necropsied, and their digestive tract content analysed for the presence of plastic debris. Plastic objects were observed in 27 individuals (60.0%), with an average of 12.7 ± 4.7 plastic items per turtle. Litter in the faecal pellet was also monitored in 67 living individuals, observing plastic elements in 46 (68.7%) of the specimens, reporting an average of 9.7 ± 3.3 plastic elements per individual. Overall, 785 plastic items were found, measured, weighed and categorized according to size, colour, shape, and type of polymer. The main elements ingested were plastic sheets that were found in 65.3% of the turtles analysed, being white (42.7%) and transparent (29.2%) the most predominant colours. Most elements were macroplastics (59.3%), while microplastics were not found. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FT-IR) analysis showed that high-density polyethylene and polypropylene were the main polymer plastics, representing 42.3% and 33.8% of the total, respectively. In conclusion, the high occurrence of plastic debris determined in the present study evidenced for the first time plastic ingestion in loggerhead turtles in the Balearic Islands, and highlights C. caretta as a bioindicator organism for marine pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antònia Solomando
- Research Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain; Interdisciplinary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
| | - Francisca Pujol
- Palma Aquarium Foundation, Carrer Manuela de los Herreros i Sorà 21, 07610 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Antoni Sureda
- Research Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain; CIBEROBN (Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition), University of the Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
| | - Samuel Pinya
- Interdisciplinary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
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21
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Moon Y, Shim WJ, Han GM, Jeong J, Cho Y, Kim IH, Kim MS, Lee HR, Hong SH. What type of plastic do sea turtles in Korean waters mainly ingest? Quantity, shape, color, size, polymer composition, and original usage. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 298:118849. [PMID: 35032602 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Globally, sea turtles are at high risk of ingesting plastic. However, research on plastic ingestion by sea turtles in East Asia is scant, and no quantitative or qualitative investigation has been conducted in Korean waters. This study examined the plastic ingestion of sea turtles stranded, floating, or incidentally captured in Korean waters between 2012 and 2018. The quantity, shape, color, size, polymer type, and original usage of plastic debris (>1 mm) ingested by sea turtles were analyzed after being sorted from the gastrointestinal tracts of 34 turtles (21 loggerheads (Caretta caretta), 9 green turtles (Chelonia mydas), 2 leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea), and 2 olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea)). The ingestion frequencies of greens, loggerheads, olive ridleys, and leatherbacks were 100%, 81%, 50%, and 50%, respectively. The mean amount of plastic ingested was 108 ± 253 mg/kg (38 ± 61 n/ind.). The ingested debris tended to be films and fibers (>80%), light in color (white and transparent; 65%), and light polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene, polypropylene [poly (ethylene:propylene)], expanded polystyrene; 93%). The original uses were identified for 187 pieces; single-use plastics (e.g., plastic bag and packaging) and fishing and aquaculture items (e.g., twine and net) were found to dominate. Green turtles (264 ± 433 mg/kg) ingested significantly higher amounts of plastic than loggerheads (72.8 ± 156 mg/kg). Green turtles ingested mostly fibers (51%), such as rope, twine, and net, while loggerheads ingested largely films (61%), such as plastic bags and packaging. Interspecies differences in quantities and shapes of ingested debris may be related to their distinct feeding habits and geographical range of movement. The present study demonstrates that sea turtles foraging in Korean waters are considerably affected by marine plastic debris, and indicates that proper waste management of single-use plastics and fishing gears is urgently needed to mitigate the damage that plastic debris causes to marine wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelim Moon
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Republic of Korea; Department of Ocean Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Joon Shim
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Republic of Korea; Department of Ocean Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Gi Myung Han
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongwook Jeong
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Republic of Korea; Department of Ocean Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Youna Cho
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Republic of Korea; Department of Ocean Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Il-Hun Kim
- National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seochun-gun, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Seop Kim
- National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seochun-gun, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Rim Lee
- National Institute of Ecology, Seochun-gun, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hee Hong
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Republic of Korea; Department of Ocean Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea.
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22
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Galli M, Tepsich P, Baini M, Panti C, Rosso M, Vafeiadou A, Pantelidou M, Moulins A, Fossi MC. Microplastic abundance and biodiversity richness overlap: Identification of sensitive areas in the Western Ionian Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 177:113550. [PMID: 35318169 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea has been widely reported, but its impact on biodiversity has not been fully explored. Simultaneous sampling of microplastics (MP) with a manta net and surveys of large marine vertebrates were conducted along the coastal waters of Sicily (Western Ionian Sea). A total of 17 neustonic samples have been collected and 17 marine species (cetaceans, sea turtles, seabirds, and fish) have been sighted in the target area. Kernel density estimation was evaluated to highlight a possible overlap between the presence of large marine fauna and MP densities to provide a preliminary risk assessment. The highest biodiversity and MP concentration (0.197 ± 0.130 items/m2) were observed in the southernmost part of the studied area. The overlap between biodiversity hotspots and the occurrence of MP, potential contribute to the identification of sensitive areas of exposure in a poorly studied region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Galli
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Baini
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Cristina Panti
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | | | - Ariadni Vafeiadou
- CIMA Research Foundation, 17100, Savona, Italy; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece
| | - Martha Pantelidou
- CIMA Research Foundation, 17100, Savona, Italy; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece
| | | | - Maria Cristina Fossi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
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23
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Ahuir-Baraja AE. First evidence of presence of plastic debris in digestive system of Mola mola (L.) from western Mediterranean Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 175:113326. [PMID: 35066414 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ingestion of marine debris by ocean sunfishes is not very well documented. As the feeding behaviour of these giants of the seas is very similar to marine turtles, it is expected that the accidental ingestion of plastics could be registered in these species of fish. With this work it is noticed for the first time the presence of a blue plastic fragment, classified by its size as a mesoplastic, in the digestive system of Mola mola (L.) (Molidae) from western Mediterranean Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana E Ahuir-Baraja
- Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases Research Group (PARAVET), Department of Animal Production and Health, Public Veterinary Health and Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Calle Tirant lo Blanc, 7, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain..
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24
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van de Geer CH, Bourjea J, Broderick AC, Dalleau M, Fernandes RS, Harris LR, Inteca GE, Kiponda FK, Louro CMM, Mortimer JA, Msangameno D, Mwasi LD, Nel R, Okemwa GM, Olendo M, Pereira MAM, Rees AF, Silva I, Singh S, West L, Williams JL, Godley BJ. Marine turtles of the African east coast: current knowledge and priorities for conservation and research. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2022. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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25
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Prampramote J, Boonhoh W, Intongead S, Sakornwimol W, Prachamkhai P, Sansamur C, Hayakijkosol O, Wongtawan T. Association of ocean macroplastic debris with stranded sea turtles in the Central Gulf of Thailand. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2022. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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26
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Lamantia T, Jansch A, Marsee JD, Weiland MH, Miller JM. Engineered Sphingomonas sp. KT-1 PahZ1 monomers efficiently degrade poly(aspartic acid). Biophys Chem 2021; 281:106745. [PMID: 34953381 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been an effort toward creating and utilizing novel biodegradable polymeric materials. As products become available, it is necessary to concurrently search for novel biodegradation catalysts and further investigate the properties of known biodegradation enzymes. Regarding the latter, we recently reported the crystal structure of a dimeric enzyme, Sphingomonas sp. KT-1 PahZ1, capable of degrading poly(aspartic acid), a green alternative to non-biodegradable polycarboxylates. However, the role of the dimeric state in catalytic function remained unclear. Here we report PahZ1KT-1 constructs with either single or multiple mutation(s) at the dimer interface yield active monomers. Our data indicates PahZ1KT-1 monomers and dimers catalyze PAA degradation at equivalent rates. Unfolding experiments reveal differences where the activation energy for monomers is ~ 46 kJ mol-1 lower than for dimers despite similar thermodynamic properties. Characterization of this biodegradation enzyme and others is critical for future protein engineering efforts toward polymer remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Lamantia
- Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Chemistry, 1301 East Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA
| | - Amanda Jansch
- Georgia Southern University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah 31419, Georgia
| | - Justin D Marsee
- Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Chemistry, 1301 East Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA
| | - Mitch H Weiland
- Georgia Southern University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah 31419, Georgia
| | - Justin M Miller
- Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Chemistry, 1301 East Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA.
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27
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Yaghmour F, Al Bousi M, Al Naqbi H, Samara F, Ghalayini T. Junk food: A preliminary analysis of ingested marine debris by hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata and olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea sea turtles (Testudines: Cheloniidae) from the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:113073. [PMID: 34741925 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
For the first time, the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of marine debris ingested by six hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and seven olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtles from the Gulf of Oman coast of the United Arab Emirates were investigated. The numeric and gravimetric proportions of ingested marine debris obtained from the esophagus, stomach and intestines were quantified following categories of presumed sources, Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), rigidity, color and plastic polymer types. Marine debris was observed in 28.6% of olive ridley (x̅: 2.00 items; 4.83 g) and 83.3% of hawksbill specimens (x̅: 6.00 ± 2.32 items; 0.32 ± 0.24 g). Overall, the results of this preliminary study suggest that hawksbill sea turtles were ingesting marine debris at higher frequencies and that plastics were observed to be the most predominant debris ingested. However, non-plastic rubbish, particularly metallic fishing gear (fish hooks and fish traps), were observed to present lethal hazards for both species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadi Yaghmour
- Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Centre (Scientific Research Department), Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Kalba, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Marwa Al Bousi
- EPAA Kalba Office (Scientific Research Department), Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Kalba, United Arab Emirates
| | - Halima Al Naqbi
- EPAA Kalba Office (Scientific Research Department), Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Kalba, United Arab Emirates
| | - Fatin Samara
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Thouraya Ghalayini
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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28
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Choi DY, Gredzens C, Shaver DJ. Plastic ingestion by green turtles (Chelonia mydas) over 33 years along the coast of Texas, USA. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:113111. [PMID: 34743072 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite exponential growth of anthropogenic marine debris in recent decades, plastic ingestion by marine turtles in the Gulf of Mexico is not well understood. Gastrointestinal tracts were examined from 464 green turtles that stranded in Texas between 1987 and 2019, and 226 turtles ingested plastic (48.7%). This number doubled from 32.5% in 1987-1999 to 65.5% in 2019, but mass of ingested items was lowest in 2019. No turtles showed evidence of death directly related to plastic ingestion. Compared to other regions, plastic ingestion was low. Small turtles (<25 cm straight carapace length) ingested plastic more frequently and in greater amounts than larger turtles. Small turtles also ingested more hard plastic while larger turtles ingested more sheet-like and thread-like plastics, which may correspond to size-based habitat shifts. This is among the largest marine turtle ingestion studies to date and demonstrates an increasing prevalence of plastic ingestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Y Choi
- Padre Island National Seashore, National Park Service, Corpus Christi, TX 78418, United States of America; Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States of America.
| | - Christian Gredzens
- Padre Island National Seashore, National Park Service, Corpus Christi, TX 78418, United States of America
| | - Donna J Shaver
- Padre Island National Seashore, National Park Service, Corpus Christi, TX 78418, United States of America
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29
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Paterson HL, Stead JL, Crutchett T, Hovey RK, Ford BM, Speldewinde P, Zapata-Restrepo LM, Yanfang L, Zhang X, Cundy AB. Battling the known unknowns: a synoptic review of aquatic plastics research from Australia, the United Kingdom and China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:1663-1680. [PMID: 34697621 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00175b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a global environmental and human health issue, with plastics now ubiquitous in the environment and biota. Despite extensive international research, key knowledge gaps ("known unknowns") remain around ecosystem-scale and human health impacts of plastics in the environment, particularly in limnetic, coastal and marine systems. Here we review aquatic plastics research in three contrasting geographic and cultural settings, selected to present a gradient of heavily urbanised (and high population density) to less urbanised (and low population density) areas: China, the United Kingdom (UK), and Australia. Research from each country has varying environmental focus (for example, biota-focussed studies in Australia target various bird, fish, turtle and seal species, while UK and China-based studies focus on commercially important organisms such as bivalves, fish and decapods), and uses varying methods and reporting units (e.g. mean, median or range). This has resulted in aquatic plastics datasets that are hard to compare directly, supporting the need to converge on standardised sampling methods, and bioindicator species. While all the study nations show plastics contamination, often at high levels, datasets are variable and do not clearly demonstrate pollution gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet L Paterson
- School of Agriculture and the Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
| | - Jessica L Stead
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre (Southampton), University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK.
| | - Thomas Crutchett
- Oceans Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
| | - Renae K Hovey
- Oceans Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
| | - Benjamin M Ford
- School of Agriculture and the Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
| | - Peter Speldewinde
- School of Agriculture and the Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
| | - Lina M Zapata-Restrepo
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
| | - Lu Yanfang
- Key Laboratory of Geoscience Big Data and Deep Resource of Zhejiang Province, School of Earth Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Geoscience Big Data and Deep Resource of Zhejiang Province, School of Earth Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
| | - Andrew B Cundy
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre (Southampton), University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK.
- Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, China
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30
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Zduniak P, Bocheński M, Maciorowski G. How littered are birds' of prey nests? Study of two sympatric species. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 790:148079. [PMID: 34090160 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activity results in production of wastes, including litter in the environment. The problem of waste pollution is especially noticeable and usually discussed from the perspective of marine environments. It is significantly less addressed in terrestrial habitats, where the spatial dispersion of litter makes it difficult to assess the degree of pollution and its impact on the ecosystems. In this study, we present the problem of littering the terrestrial environments in the context of their inclusion in raptor nests, which are relatively rare elements of these ecosystems and because they comprise the top positions in their trophic chains, are exemplary bioindicators. During the breeding season we quantitatively and qualitatively assessed the anthropogenic debris present in the nests of 48 Back Kites (Milvus migrans) and Red kites (Milvus milvus). We found that the prevalence of litter in the nests was 100% for both species. The average number of litter items and average total area of litter recorded per nest was 31.3 and 0.44 m2, respectively and differed between species, where higher values were recorded for the Black Kite than for the Red Kite (53.1 vs. 23.8 and 0.54 m2 vs. 0.34 m2, respectively). Taking into account the average nest surface area of both studied species (0.33 m2 and 0.57 m2, respectively), obtained values indicate large littering of the studied nests. Furthermore, 71% of identified debris items were plastics which constituted 65% of the total surface of all recorded debris. Our study suggests a high availability of litter in the terrestrial habitats that constitute the breeding territories of the two sympatric study species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Zduniak
- Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Marcin Bocheński
- Department of Nature Conservation, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Maciorowski
- Department of Game Management and Forest Protection, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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31
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Harris PT, Tamelander J, Lyons Y, Neo ML, Maes T. Taking a mass-balance approach to assess marine plastics in the South China Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 171:112708. [PMID: 34273726 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The South China Sea (SCS) is recognised as a global hotspot for plastic pollution. We review available field studies and identify a significant lack of data needed to construct a simple mass balance box model for plastic pollution in the SCS. Fundamental information on plastic mass input, transfer and sink terms are simply not available. Also unknown are the rates of accumulation in different environments, the dispersal pathways of plastic particles of different density, the residence times of plastic in the water column and the rate at which macroplastics are transformed into microplastics in different environments. Filling these information gaps is critical for states to determine adequate response measures, including developing and tracking impact of policies to deal with the problem of plastic pollution in the SCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- P T Harris
- GRID-Arendal, P.O. Box 183, N-4802, Arendal, Norway.
| | - J Tamelander
- United Nations Environment Programme, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
| | - Y Lyons
- Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore, Bukit Timah Campus, Singapore
| | - M L Neo
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge Campus, Singapore
| | - T Maes
- GRID-Arendal, P.O. Box 183, N-4802, Arendal, Norway
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32
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Jones JS, Porter A, Muñoz-Pérez JP, Alarcón-Ruales D, Galloway TS, Godley BJ, Santillo D, Vagg J, Lewis C. Plastic contamination of a Galapagos Island (Ecuador) and the relative risks to native marine species. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 789:147704. [PMID: 34049146 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and their unique biodiversity are a global conservation priority. We explored the presence, composition and environmental drivers of plastic contamination across the marine ecosystem at an island scale, investigated uptake in marine invertebrates and designed a systematic priority scoring analysis to identify the most vulnerable vertebrate species. Beach contamination varied by site (macroplastic 0-0.66 items·m-2, microplastics 0-448.8 particles·m-2 or 0-74.6 particles·kg-1), with high plastic accumulation on east-facing beaches that are influenced by the Humboldt Current. Local littering and waste management leakages accounted for just 2% of macroplastic. Microplastics (including anthropogenic cellulosics) were ubiquitous but in low concentrations in benthic sediments (6.7-86.7 particles·kg-1) and surface seawater (0.04-0.89 particles·m-3), with elevated concentrations in the harbour suggesting some local input. Microplastics were present in all seven marine invertebrate species examined, found in 52% of individuals (n = 123) confirming uptake of microplastics in the Galapagos marine food web. Priority scoring analysis combining species distribution information, IUCN Red List conservation status and literature evidence of harm from entanglement and ingestion of plastics in similar species identified 27 marine vertebrates in need of urgent, targeted monitoring and mitigation including pinnipeds, seabirds, turtles and sharks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen S Jones
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK; Galapagos Conservation Trust, 7-14 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4YR, UK
| | - Adam Porter
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Juan Pablo Muñoz-Pérez
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) & UNC-Chapel Hill Galápagos Science Center (GSC), Av. Alsacio Northia, Isla San Cristobal, Galápagos, Ecuador; School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia
| | - Daniela Alarcón-Ruales
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) & UNC-Chapel Hill Galápagos Science Center (GSC), Av. Alsacio Northia, Isla San Cristobal, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Tamara S Galloway
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Brendan J Godley
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - David Santillo
- Greenpeace Research Laboratories, School of Biosciences, Innovation Centre Phase 2, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Jessica Vagg
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Ceri Lewis
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
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33
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Sala B, Balasch A, Eljarrat E, Cardona L. First study on the presence of plastic additives in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from the Mediterranean Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 283:117108. [PMID: 33866215 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) voluntarily ingest floating plastic debris and hence are chronically exposed to plastic additives, but very little is known about the levels of these compounds in their tissues. This work studied the presence of organophosphate esters (OPEs) on sea turtles collected from two different areas in the western Mediterranean, some of their prey and some floating plastic debris. OPEs were detected in all the samples analysed and ∑OPEs ranged from 12.5 to 384 ng/g wet weight (ww) in the turtles from the Catalan coasts, with a mean value of 21.6 ng/g ww, and from 6.08 to 100 ng/g ww in the turtles the Balearic Islands, with a mean value of 37.9 ng/g ww. Differences in ∑OPEs were statistically significant, but turtles from the two regions did not differ in their OPE profiles. As per turtle's prey, ∑OPEs ranged from 4.55 to 90.5 ng/g ww. Finally, marine plastic litter showed ∑OPEs concentrations between 10.9 and 868 ng/g. Although most compounds were present in both potential sources of contamination, prey and plastic debris, the OPE profiles in loggerhead turtles and these sources were different. Some OPEs, such as tris(2-isopropylphenyl) phosphate (T2IPPP), tripropyl phosphate (TPP) and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP), were detected in plastic debris and turtle muscle but not in their prey, thus suggesting that ingestion of plastic debris was their main source. Contrarily, the levels of triethyl phosphate (TEP), diphenyl cresyl phosphate (DCP), 2-isopropylphenyl diphenyl phosphate (2IPPDPP) and 4-isopropylphenyl diphenyl phosphate (4IPPDPP) in turtle muscle were much higher than in jellyfish, their main prey, thus indicating a biomagnification potential. Regular ingestion of plastic debris and contamination from their prey may explain why ∑OPEs in loggerhead turtles is much higher than the values reported previously for teleost fishes and marine mammals from the western Mediterranean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berta Sala
- Water, Environment and Food Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aleix Balasch
- Water, Environment and Food Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ethel Eljarrat
- Water, Environment and Food Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Luis Cardona
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) and Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, Spain
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34
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Vázquez OA, Rahman MS. An ecotoxicological approach to microplastics on terrestrial and aquatic organisms: A systematic review in assessment, monitoring and biological impact. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2021; 84:103615. [PMID: 33607259 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Marine and land plastic debris biodegrades at micro- and nanoscales through progressive fragmentation. Oceanographic model studies confirm the presence of up to ∼2.41 million tons of microplastics across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian subtropical gyres. Microplastics distribute from primary (e.g., exfoliating cleansers) and secondary (e.g., chemical deterioration) sources in the environment. This anthropogenic phenomenon poses a threat to the flora and fauna of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as ingestion and entanglement cases increase over time. This review focuses on the impact of microplastics across taxa at suggested environmentally relevant concentrations, and advances the groundwork for future ecotoxicological-based research on microplastics including the main points: (i) adhesion of chemical pollutants (e.g., PCBs); (ii) biological effects (e.g., bioaccumulation, biomagnification, biotransportation) in terrestrial and aquatic organisms; (iii) physico-chemical properties (e.g., polybrominated diphenyl ethers) and biodegradation pathways in the environment (e.g., chemical stress, heat stress); and (iv) an ecotoxicological prospect for optimized impact assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar A Vázquez
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
| | - Md Saydur Rahman
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA; School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA.
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35
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Soto-Navarro J, Jordá G, Compa M, Alomar C, Fossi MC, Deudero S. Impact of the marine litter pollution on the Mediterranean biodiversity: A risk assessment study with focus on the marine protected areas. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 165:112169. [PMID: 33691217 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this paper a novel methodology to assess the risk of marine litter (ML) pollution in the Mediterranean Sea is implemented. In this approach, the hazard component is estimated using a state-of-the-art 3D modeling system, which allows the simulation of floating and sinking ML particles; the exposure component is defined from biodiversity estimates; and the vulnerability is related to ML ingestion rates of each species. The results show that the hot-spots for the ML risk concentrate in the coastal regions, and are mainly conditioned by the biodiversity in the region. A dedicated analysis on the marine protected areas shows that the risk therein is controlled by the proximity to ML sources and that their present-day protection levels are not effective in the case of ML pollution. Only a reduction of ML at the sources could reduce the impact of ML pollution in protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Soto-Navarro
- Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, UIB-CSIC). Mallorca, Spain.
| | - G Jordá
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares. Mallorca, Spain
| | - M Compa
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares. Mallorca, Spain
| | - C Alomar
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares. Mallorca, Spain
| | - M C Fossi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena. Siena, Italy
| | - S Deudero
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares. Mallorca, Spain
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36
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Elmer LK, Madliger CL, Blumstein DT, Elvidge CK, Fernández-Juricic E, Horodysky AZ, Johnson NS, McGuire LP, Swaisgood RR, Cooke SJ. Exploiting common senses: sensory ecology meets wildlife conservation and management. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab002. [PMID: 33815799 PMCID: PMC8009554 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Multidisciplinary approaches to conservation and wildlife management are often effective in addressing complex, multi-factor problems. Emerging fields such as conservation physiology and conservation behaviour can provide innovative solutions and management strategies for target species and systems. Sensory ecology combines the study of 'how animals acquire' and process sensory stimuli from their environments, and the ecological and evolutionary significance of 'how animals respond' to this information. We review the benefits that sensory ecology can bring to wildlife conservation and management by discussing case studies across major taxa and sensory modalities. Conservation practices informed by a sensory ecology approach include the amelioration of sensory traps, control of invasive species, reduction of human-wildlife conflicts and relocation and establishment of new populations of endangered species. We illustrate that sensory ecology can facilitate the understanding of mechanistic ecological and physiological explanations underlying particular conservation issues and also can help develop innovative solutions to ameliorate conservation problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura K Elmer
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Christine L Madliger
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Chris K Elvidge
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | | | - Andrij Z Horodysky
- Department of Marine and Environmental Science, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668, USA
| | - Nicholas S Johnson
- USGS, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station, Millersburg, MI 49759, USA
| | - Liam P McGuire
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Ronald R Swaisgood
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, San Diego, CA 92027-7000, USA
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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37
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Harrison CS, Luo JY, Putman NF, Li Q, Sheevam P, Krumhardt K, Stevens J, Long MC. Identifying global favourable habitat for early juvenile loggerhead sea turtles. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20200799. [PMID: 33622144 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) nest globally on sandy beaches, with hatchlings dispersing into the open ocean. Where these juveniles go and what habitat they rely on remains a critical research question for informing conservation priorities. Here a high-resolution Earth system model is used to determine the biophysical geography of favourable ocean habitat for loggerhead sea turtles globally during their first year of life on the basis of ocean current transport, thermal constraints and food availability (defined here as the summed lower trophic level carbon biomass). Dispersal is simulated from eight major nesting sites distributed across the globe in four representative years using particle tracking. Dispersal densities are identified for all turtles, and for the top 15% 'best-fed' turtles that have not encountered metabolically unfavourable temperatures. We find that, globally, rookeries are positioned to disperse to regions where the lower trophic biomass is greatest within loggerheads' thermal range. Six out of the eight nesting sites are associated with strong coastal boundary currents that rapidly transport hatchlings to subtropical-subpolar gyre boundaries; narrow spatial migratory corridors exist for 'best-fed' turtles associated with these sites. Two other rookeries are located in exceptionally high-biomass tropical regions fuelled by natural iron fertilization. 'Best-fed' turtles tend to be associated with lower temperatures, highlighting the inverse relationship between temperature and lower trophic biomass. The annual mean isotherms between 20°C and the thermal tolerance of juvenile loggerheads are a rough proxy for favourable habitat for loggerheads from rookeries associated with boundary currents. Our results can be used to constrain regions for conservation efforts for each subpopulation, and better identify foraging habitat for this critical early life stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl S Harrison
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80305, USA.,Institute of Alpine and Arctic Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.,School of Earth Environmental and Marine Science, University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, Port Isabel, TX 78578, USA
| | - Jessica Y Luo
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80305, USA.,NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | | | | | - Pooja Sheevam
- Institute of Alpine and Arctic Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.,Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Kristen Krumhardt
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80305, USA.,Institute of Alpine and Arctic Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Jessica Stevens
- School of Earth Environmental and Marine Science, University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, Port Isabel, TX 78578, USA
| | - Matthew C Long
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80305, USA
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38
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Cassill DL. Multiple maternal risk-management adaptations in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) mitigate clutch failure caused by catastrophic storms and predators. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2491. [PMID: 33510318 PMCID: PMC7844227 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81968-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal risk-management, an extension of r/K selection, is an indispensable tool for understanding the natural selection pressures that shape the evolution of reproduction. Central to the construct of maternal risk-management is its definition of reproductive success as replacement fitness (w = 2), the survival of one breeding daughter to replace the female and one outbreeding son to replace her mate. Here, I apply maternal risk-management as a theoretical framework to explain multiple reproductive adaptations by loggerhead sea turtles nesting on a barrier island off the southern coast of Florida, US, from 1988 to 2004. Extrapolated over a 30-year reproductive span, nesting females averaged 4000-4500 eggs. I show that, rather than "putting all their eggs in one basket," females divided eggs into 40 clutches of variable size (50-165 eggs). To deposit clutches, females migrated to the barrier island 10-12 times at unpredictable intervals of 2-8 years. Each nesting season, females deposited 1-7 clutches over diversified time intervals at diversified locations on the beach. Despite devastating clutch losses caused by ten catastrophic hurricanes, hundreds of erratic thunderstorms and dozens of predation events during this study, 72% of clutches produced by nesting females on this barrier island were undisturbed-median hatching success for these clutches was an astonishing 92%. I conclude that diversified maternal investments over time and space by nesting females are reproductive adaptations that have successfully offset clutch losses, thus enabling populations of loggerhead females to meet or exceed their reproductive goal of replacement fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deby L. Cassill
- grid.170693.a0000 0001 2353 285XDepartment of Integrative Biology, USF, St. Petersburg campus, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA
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39
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Duncan EM, Davies A, Brooks A, Chowdhury GW, Godley BJ, Jambeck J, Maddalene T, Napper I, Nelms SE, Rackstraw C, Koldewey H. Message in a bottle: Open source technology to track the movement of plastic pollution. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242459. [PMID: 33264309 PMCID: PMC7710111 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rivers worldwide are now acting as major transport pathways for plastic pollution and discharge large quantities of waste into the ocean. Previous oceanographic modelling and current drifter data have been used to predict the movement and accumulation of plastic pollution in the marine environment, but our understanding of the transport and fate through riparian systems is still largely unknown. Here we undertook a proof of concept study by applying open source tracking technology (both GPS (Global Positing System) cellular networks and satellite technology), which have been successfully used in many animal movement studies, to track the movements of individual plastic litter items (500 ml PET (polyethylene terephthalate) drinks bottles) through the Ganges River system (known as the Ganga in India and the Padma and Meghna in Bangladesh, hereafter known as the Ganges) and the Bay of Bengal. Deployed tags were successfully tracked through the Ganges river system and into the Bay of Bengal marine system. The "bottle tags" were designed and built (e.g. shape, size, buoyancy) to replicate true movement patterns of a plastic bottle. The maximum distance tracked to date is 2845 km over a period of 94 days. We discuss lessons learnt from the development of these plastic litter tags, and outline how the potential widespread use of this open source technology has the ability to significantly increase understanding of the location of accumulation areas and the timing of large inputs of plastic pollution into the aquatic system. Furthermore, "bottle tags" may act as a powerful tool for stimulating social behaviour change, informing science-based policy, and as valuable educational outreach tools for public awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M. Duncan
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Alasdair Davies
- Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Brooks
- College of Engineering, New Materials Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | | | - Brendan J. Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Jenna Jambeck
- College of Engineering, New Materials Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Taylor Maddalene
- National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Imogen Napper
- International Marine Litter Research Unit, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah E. Nelms
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- Centre for Circular Economy, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | | | - Heather Koldewey
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
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40
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A Review of the Production, Recycling and Management of Marine Plastic Pollution. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse8110945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The human attachment to plastic has intensified recently due to its lightweight, versatility, low-cost and durability and so has the damage to the marine environment as marine plastic pollution has correspondingly increased. As a result, there has been increasing concern on the issue of marine plastic pollution. Policy-based organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme have drawn public attention to the scope, magnitude and impacts of marine pollution in recent decades. Research on marine pollution can play a significant role in contributing to policy-making processes in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on Life Below Water (SDG 14), by providing scientific analysis on the effects and sources of marine plastic pollution. This paper provides a theoretical and empirical overview of marine plastic pollution and its potential effects on marine ecosystems. It also discusses SDGs that are relevant to marine plastic pollution and suggest priorities for further research.
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41
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Senko JF, Nelms SE, Reavis JL, Witherington B, Godley BJ, Wallace BP. Understanding individual and population-level effects of plastic pollution on marine megafauna. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2020. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Plastic pollution is increasing rapidly throughout the world’s oceans and is considered a major threat to marine wildlife and ecosystems. Although known to cause lethal or sub-lethal effects to vulnerable marine megafauna, population-level impacts of plastic pollution have not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we compiled and evaluated information from peer-reviewed studies that reported deleterious individual-level effects of plastic pollution on air-breathing marine megafauna (i.e. seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles) worldwide, highlighting those that assessed potential population-level effects. Lethal and sub-lethal individual-level effects included drowning, starvation, gastrointestinal tract damage, malnutrition, physical injury, reduced mobility, and physiological stress, resulting in reduced energy acquisition and assimilation, compromised health, reproductive impairment, and mortality. We found 47 studies published between 1969 and 2020 that considered population-level effects of plastic entanglement (n = 26), ingestion (n = 19), or both (n = 2). Of these, 7 inferred population-level effects (n = 6, entanglement; n = 1, ingestion), whereas 19 lacked evidence for effects (n = 12, entanglement; n = 6, ingestion; n = 1, both). However, no study in the past 50 yr reported direct evidence of population-level effects. Despite increased interest in and awareness of the presence of plastic pollution throughout the world’s oceans, the extent and magnitude of demographic impacts on marine megafauna remains largely unassessed and therefore unknown, in contrast to well-documented effects on individuals. Addressing this major assessment gap will allow researchers and managers to compare relative effects of multiple threats—including plastic pollution—on marine megafauna populations, thus providing appropriate context for strategic conservation priority-setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- JF Senko
- School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - SE Nelms
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK
| | - JL Reavis
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | | | - BJ Godley
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - BP Wallace
- Ecolibrium Inc., Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Lab, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
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42
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Investigating Detection of Floating Plastic Litter from Space Using Sentinel-2 Imagery. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12162648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Plastic litter floating in the ocean is a significant problem on a global scale. This study examines whether Sentinel-2 satellite images can be used to identify plastic litter on the sea surface for monitoring, collection and disposal. A pilot study was conducted to determine if plastic targets on the sea surface can be detected using remote sensing techniques with Sentinel-2 data. A target made up of plastic water bottles with a surface measuring 3 m × 10 m was created, which was subsequently placed in the sea near the Old Port in Limassol, Cyprus. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was used to acquire multispectral aerial images of the area of interest during the same time as the Sentinel-2 satellite overpass. Spectral signatures of the water and the plastic litter after it was placed in the water were taken with an SVC HR1024 spectroradiometer. The study found that the plastic litter target was easiest to detect in the NIR wavelengths. Seven established indices for satellite image processing were examined to determine whether they can identify plastic litter in the water. Further, the authors examined two new indices, the Plastics Index (PI) and the Reversed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (RNDVI) to be used in the processing of the satellite image. The newly developed Plastic Index (PI) was able to identify plastic objects floating on the water surface and was the most effective index in identifying the plastic litter target in the sea.
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43
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Marn N, Jusup M, Kooijman SALM, Klanjscek T. Quantifying impacts of plastic debris on marine wildlife identifies ecological breakpoints. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1479-1487. [PMID: 32790233 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying sublethal effects of plastics ingestion on marine wildlife is difficult, but key to understanding the ontogeny and population dynamics of affected species. We developed a method that overcomes the difficulties by modelling individual ontogeny under reduced energy intake and expenditure caused by debris ingestion. The predicted ontogeny is combined with a population dynamics model to identify ecological breakpoints: cessation of reproduction or negative population growth. Exemplifying this approach on loggerhead turtles, we find that between 3% and 25% of plastics in digestive contents causes a 2.5-20% reduction in perceived food abundance and total available energy, resulting in a 10-15% lower condition index and 10% to 88% lower total seasonal reproductive output compared to unaffected turtles. The reported plastics ingestion is insufficient to impede sexual maturation, but population declines are possible. The method is readily applicable to other species impacted by debris ingestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Marn
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, HR-10002, Zagreb, Croatia.,School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Marko Jusup
- Tokyo Tech World Research Hub Initiative (WRHI), Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan
| | | | - Tin Klanjscek
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, HR-10002, Zagreb, Croatia
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44
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Ajith N, Arumugam S, Parthasarathy S, Manupoori S, Janakiraman S. Global distribution of microplastics and its impact on marine environment-a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:25970-25986. [PMID: 32382901 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09015-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are the major environmental health hazards spotted in almost all the marine habitats and biota of world. The earlier research on microplastics have mainly focused on studying abundance and distribution as well as impacts on organisms, while the existing review articles have reviewed on any one of the above aspects or the environmental fate of microplastics. The current review focuses on all the above facets thereby bringing out the incompleteness in information globally in the respective facets. Our findings suggest that among 192 countries of the world, only 22.9% (44) of the countries have carried out research regarding microplastics, while impacts on organisms have mostly targeted fish (38%), whereas studies on other highly affected organisms such as turtles (1%) are not well documented. Therefore, we suggest expanding research in all the above aspects of microplastics considering that there are several pristine marine environments and organisms that are yet unexplored. Quantifying research in these regards would enable to propose a microplastic threshold level and formulate control measures to reduce the use of plastics and its subsequent threat to the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nithin Ajith
- CAS in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, 608502, India
| | - Sundaramanickam Arumugam
- CAS in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, 608502, India.
| | - Surya Parthasarathy
- CAS in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, 608502, India
| | - Sathish Manupoori
- CAS in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, 608502, India
| | - Sivamani Janakiraman
- CAS in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, 608502, India
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45
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Jâms IB, Windsor FM, Poudevigne-Durance T, Ormerod SJ, Durance I. Estimating the size distribution of plastics ingested by animals. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1594. [PMID: 32221282 PMCID: PMC7101383 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15406-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The ingestion of plastics appears to be widespread throughout the animal kingdom with risks to individuals, ecosystems and human health. Despite growing information on the location, abundance and size distribution of plastics in the environment, it cannot be assumed that any given animal will ingest all sizes of plastic encountered. Here, we use published data to develop an allometric relationship between plastic consumption and animal size to estimate the size distribution of plastics feasibly ingested by animals. Based on more than 2000 gut content analyses from animals ranging over three orders of magnitude in size (lengths 9 mm to 10 m), body length alone accounts for 42% of the variance in the length of plastic an animal may ingest and indicates a size ratio of roughly 20:1 between animal body length and the largest plastic the animal may ingest. We expect this work to improve global assessments of plastic pollution risk by introducing a quantifiable link between animals and the plastics they can ingest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifan B Jâms
- Water Research Institute, Cardiff University, Wales, CF10 3AX, UK
| | | | | | - Steve J Ormerod
- Water Research Institute, Cardiff University, Wales, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Isabelle Durance
- Water Research Institute, Cardiff University, Wales, CF10 3AX, UK.
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46
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Du C, Liang H, Li Z, Gong J. Pollution Characteristics of Microplastics in Soils in Southeastern Suburbs of Baoding City, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17030845. [PMID: 32013130 PMCID: PMC7037837 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17030845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 01/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants that exist in different environmental media. Because of their wide range and large potential environmental hazards, they have attracted widespread attention in recent years. At present, the research on MP is mostly concentrated on the water ecosystems, and the impact on soil ecosystems is less studied. In this study, 12 typical soil samples from southeastern suburbs of Baoding city were investigated and characterized by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) combined with mass high resolution mode and positive and negative ion imaging mode. Four types of MPs, poly (propylene) (PP), poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC), poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and poly (amide 6) (PA6), were quickly identified, of which PET and PA6 accounted for the largest proportion of both up to 30.2%; the particle size of the obtained MPs ranged from 0 to 35 μm, of which the proportion of <10 μm MPs was more than 26.3%, while that of 20–25 μm and 25–35 μm MPs was relatively small (17.83% and 9.3%, respectively). Risk assessment results of the MP in the soil showed that the risk level of MPs in the non-ferrous metal industrial parks and in concentrated with small workshops areas is relatively high, and attention should be paid to such areas. In addition, the study provides a reference method for the investigation and risk assessment of MPs in terrestrial soils, coastal beaches, and sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, Beijing 100083, China; (C.D.)
- College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Handong Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, Beijing 100083, China; (C.D.)
- College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
- Correspondence: (H.L.); (Z.L.); Tel.: +86-010-6233-1029 (H.L. & Z.L.)
| | - Zhanping Li
- Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Correspondence: (H.L.); (Z.L.); Tel.: +86-010-6233-1029 (H.L. & Z.L.)
| | - Jie Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, Beijing 100083, China; (C.D.)
- College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
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Wilcox C, Hardesty BD, Law KL. Abundance of Floating Plastic Particles Is Increasing in the Western North Atlantic Ocean. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:790-796. [PMID: 31738052 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b04812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Since the start of commercial plastics production in the 1940s, global production has rapidly accelerated, doubling approximately every 11 years. Despite this increase and clear evidence of plastics loss into the oceans, including a substantial standing stock, previous research has not detected a temporal trend in plastic particle concentration in the surface ocean. Using a generalized additive statistical model, we examined the longest data set on floating plastic debris available globally, collected using plankton nets in the western North Atlantic from 1986 to 2015. There was a significant increasing temporal trend in plastic particle concentration that tracked cumulative global plastics production. We estimated an increase of 506,000 tons of floating plastic in the ocean in 2010 alone or 0.2% of global production. Our results suggest that, while loss of plastic particles from the surface ocean undoubtedly occurs, the input exceeds the collective losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Wilcox
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere , Castray Esplanade, Hobart , Tasmania 7001 , Australia
| | | | - Kara Lavender Law
- Sea Education Association , Woods Hole , Massachusetts 02543 , United States
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48
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Twenty-three Years of Sea Turtle Stranding/ bycatch Research in Taiwan. Zool Stud 2019; 58:e44. [PMID: 31966345 DOI: 10.6620/zs.2019.58-44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Coastal sea turtle stranding and bycatch are common phenomena worldwide and have received more attention in recent years. They are caused by both natural and anthropogenic factors. One thousand and seventy-two turtles were reported to be victims of these phenomena from March 1997 to November 2019 in Taiwan. Number of stranding/bycatch were variable and infrequent for the first 14 years, but increased each year after 2012 and peaked in 2019 with 217 cases. Most turtles were juveniles to subadults. All five of Taiwan's species were reported in stranding and bycatch records, and the green turtle was reported the most common. The main reported seasons lasted from winter to spring, when the weather changes dramatically. The sex ratio (female: male) ranged from 7 in the hawksbill turtle to 0.7 in the olive ridley, with an average of 2.4 for all species. Green turtles were the dominant stranded species, and more loggerhead turtles were by-caught. The hotspots were the towns of Dougou and Tochen in Yilan County, and Gongliao District in New Taipei City, located in NE coast of Taiwan respectively. Stranding was the more common of the two phenomena reported, and 80% of all stranded turtles were subadult green turtles. Eighty percent of all stranded/bycaught turtles were dead. Pond-nets were the fishing gear that accounted for the most bycatch, and captured mainly living young and subadult green turtles as well as subadult loggerhead turtles. The hotspots for bycatch were the towns of Dongou and Tochen in Yilan County. The Coast Guard and concerned citizen were the main sources of reports. This is the first study to analyze the long-term stranding/bycatch of sea turtles in Taiwan.
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49
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Exposure of Marine Turtle Nesting Grounds to Named Storms Along the Continental USA. REMOTE SENSING 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/rs11242996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Named storms can cause substantial impacts on the habitat and reproductive output of threatened species, such as marine turtles. To determine the impacts of named storms on marine turtles and inform management, it is necessary to determine the exposure of marine turtle nesting grounds to recent storm activities. To address this, remote sensing information of named storm tracks coupled with nesting ground data were used to investigate the temporal and spatial overlap between nesting grounds for four species of marine turtles in the continental United States of America. All species of marine turtles were exposed to named storms, with variation in exposure driven by the spatial distribution of each population’s nesting ground, the temporal overlap between the storms and reproductive events, and nest placement on the beach. Loggerhead turtles were the most exposed species to named storms, with the northern management unit having significantly higher exposure levels than all other loggerhead management units. Kemp’s ridley turtles, in contrast, were found to be the least exposed species to named storms. This study establishes a valuable current baseline against which to measure and compare future impacts that result as climate change progresses and storms become more frequent and intense. Importantly, cumulative and synergetic effects from other climatic processes and anthropogenic stressors should be considered in future analysis.
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Cordova MR, Nurhati IS. Major sources and monthly variations in the release of land-derived marine debris from the Greater Jakarta area, Indonesia. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18730. [PMID: 31822708 PMCID: PMC6904567 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55065-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As marine debris becomes increasingly prevalent and induces cascading impacts on marine ecosystems, monitoring of land-derived debris is key for identifying effective mitigation strategies. Indonesia plays a pivotal role in reducing land-derived debris into the oceans considering its extensive coastline, large population and high waste production. We present the first marine debris monitoring data from Indonesia’s capital, the Greater Jakarta area, by characterizing major sources and monthly variations of debris release at nine river outlets into Jakarta Bay between June 2015-June 2016. Our data show plastics as the most common debris entering Jakarta Bay representing 59% (abundance) or 37% (weight) of the total collected debris. Styrofoam was dominating among plastic debris, highlighting the urgency of reducing plastic and styrofoam uses. Higher debris releases during the rainy season (December-February) highlight the need to intensify river clean-up activities. We estimated an average daily debris release of 97,098 ± 28,932 items or 23 ± 7.10 tons into Jakarta Bay with considerably lower inputs from the capital compared to its neighboring municipalities. Within the plastics category, field monitoring data yield a daily plastic debris release of 8.32 ± 2.44 tons from the Greater Jakarta area, which is 8–16 times less than global-scale model estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Reza Cordova
- Research Center for Oceanography, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jalan Pasir Putih 1, Ancol Timur, Pademangan, Jakarta Utara, Jakarta, 14430, Indonesia.
| | - Intan Suci Nurhati
- Research Center for Oceanography, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jalan Pasir Putih 1, Ancol Timur, Pademangan, Jakarta Utara, Jakarta, 14430, Indonesia
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