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Souza MCS, Massei K, Vianna PCG, Santos CAG, Mishra M, Silva RMD. Assessment of macrobenthos diversity and a zoning proposal for Seixas coral reefs (northeastern Brazil). Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 195:115443. [PMID: 37659381 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs worldwide are under severe threat due to their inherent fragility and urgent need for conservation. The escalating tourism in coral reefs significantly impacts the marine ecosystem's biodiversity and conservation. This study analyzed the diversity and conservation status of macrobenthos in the Seixas coral reef, located in northeastern Brazil, and proposed a zoning plan. We employed monitoring protocols adapted from the Reef Check Program, the Rapid Assessment Protocol for Atlantic and Gulf Reefs, and the Protocol for Monitoring Coastal Benthic Habitats. Species identification was carried out by analyzing 25 transects, each divided into 1 m2 grids, with photos recorded for each grid, totaling 625 photos. Margalef, Shannon-Weaver, Simpson, and Pielou indices were used to analyze species distribution and diversity. The results indicated Dictyotaceae, Sargassaceae, and Corallinaceae as prevalent families. This research offers decision-makers a snapshot of species distribution in the Seixas coral reefs, providing a non-destructive, efficient methodology for assessing environmental impacts on coastal coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cecilia Silva Souza
- Graduate Program in Geography, Federal University of Paraíba, 58051-900 João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Karina Massei
- Postdoctoral fellow in Ecology and Environmental Monitoring (PPGEMA), Federal University of Paraíba, 58297-000 Rio Tinto, Paraíba, Brazil.
| | | | - Celso Augusto Guimarães Santos
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Paraíba, 58051-900 João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
| | - Manoranjan Mishra
- Department of Geography, Fakir Mohan University, VyasaVihar, Nuapadhi, 756089 Balasore, Odisha, India
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Chen HL, Selvam SB, Ting KN, Gibbins CN. Microplastic concentrations in river water and bed sediments in a tropical river: implications for water quality monitoring. Environ Monit Assess 2023; 195:307. [PMID: 36652034 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10856-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Recent increase in awareness of the extent of microplastic contamination in marine and freshwater systems has heightened concerns over the ecological and human health risks of this ubiquitous material. Assessing risks posed by microplastic in freshwater systems requires sampling to establish contamination levels, but standard sampling protocols have yet to be established. An important question is whether sampling and assessment should focus on microplastic concentrations in the water or the amount deposited on the bed. On three dates, five replicated water and bed sediment samples were collected from each of the eight sites along the upper reach of the Semenyih River, Malaysia. Microplastics were found in all 160 samples, with mean concentrations of 3.12 ± 2.49 particles/L in river water and 6027.39 ± 16,585.87 particles/m2 deposited on the surface of riverbed sediments. Fibres were the dominant type of microplastic in all samples, but fragments made up a greater proportion of the material on the bed than in the water. Within-site variability in microplastic abundance was high for both water and bed sediments, and very often greater than between-site variability. Patterns suggest that microplastic accumulation on the bed is spatially variable, and single samples are therefore inadequate for assessing bed contamination levels at a site. Sites with the highest mean concentrations in samples of water were not those with the highest concentrations on the bed, indicating that monitoring based only on water samples may not provide a good picture of either relative or absolute bed contamination levels, nor the risks posed to benthic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Ling Chen
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sivathass Bannir Selvam
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Kang Nee Ting
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Christopher Neil Gibbins
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
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Cesarano C, Aulicino G, Cerrano C, Ponti M, Puce S. Marine beach litter monitoring strategies along Mediterranean coasts. A methodological review. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 186:114401. [PMID: 36462417 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Marine beach litter (MBL) represents a serious issue for marine life, coastal ecosystems, human health and several economical activities. The Mediterranean Sea is a semi enclosed basin particularly vulnerable to this problem. Its coasts are threatened by critical anthropogenic pressures that sum up with intensive fishing and shipping, and the slow turnover of its waters. In the last decades, several scientific and participative initiatives have been conducted to study, monitor and clean-up shorelines. These studies were generally characterized by differences in timing and frequency of the surveys, as well as in litter sampling, classification and analysis. This paper presents a systematic review of current literature concerning MBL monitoring strategies along the Mediterranean coasts. Scopus indexed studies are analysed to identify discrepancies and similarities among the applied protocols, understand where current gaps lie, and point out what would be needed to develop a basin-scale efficient monitoring for the Mediterranean Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Cesarano
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Aulicino
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università degli studi di Napoli Parthenope, Napoli, Italy.
| | - Carlo Cerrano
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy; Reef Check Italia onlus, Ancona, Italy; Fano Marine Center, Fano, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Roma, Italy
| | - Massimo Ponti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Ravenna, Italy; Reef Check Italia onlus, Ancona, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Roma, Italy
| | - Stefania Puce
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
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Pokswinski S, Gallagher MR, Skowronski NS, Loudermilk EL, Hawley C, Wallace D, Everland A, Wallace J, Hiers JK. A simplified and affordable approach to forest monitoring using single terrestrial laser scans and transect sampling. MethodsX 2021; 8:101484. [PMID: 34434882 PMCID: PMC8374719 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2021.101484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional forestry, ecology, and fuels monitoring methods can be costly and error-prone, and are often used beyond their original assumptions due to difficulty or unavailability of more appropriate methods. These traditional methods tend to be rigid and may not be useful for detecting new ecological changes or required data at modern levels of precision [1]. The integration of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) methods into forest monitoring strategies can cost effectively standardize data collection, improve efficiency, and reduce error, with datasets that can easily be analyzed to better inform management decisions. Affordable (sub-$20K) off-the-shelf TLS units-such as the Leica BLK360- have been used commercially in the built environment but have untapped potential in the natural world for monitoring. Here, we provide a methodology that successfully integrates LiDAR scanning with existing monitoring methods. This new method:•Allows for simplified and quick extraction of forestry, fuels and ecological vegetation variables from a single TLS point cloud and quick transect sampling.•Streamlines the data collection process, removes sampling bias, and produces data that can be easily processed to provide inputs for models and decision support frameworks.•Is adaptable to integrate additional or new environmental measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Christie Hawley
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Derek Wallace
- Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, FL 32312, USA.,USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | | | - Jon Wallace
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Kevin Hiers
- Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, FL 32312, USA
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