Review
Environmental Sciences
Lucy C. M. Omeyer, Emily M. Duncan, Neil Angelo S. Abreo, Jo Marie V. Acebes, Lea A. AngSinco-Jimenez, Sabiqah T. Anuar, Lemnuel V. Aragones, Gonzalo Araujo, Luis R. Carrasco, Marcus A. H. Chua, Muhammad R. Cordova, Lantun P. Dewanti, Emilyn Q. Espiritu, Jovanie B. Garay, Elitza S. Germanov, Jade Getliff, Eva Horcajo-Berna, Yusof S. Ibrahim, Zeehan Jaafar, Jose Isagani B. Janairo, Thanda Ko Gyi, Danielle Kreb, Cheng Ling Lim, Youna Lyons, Putu L. K. Mustika, Mei Lin Neo, Sirius Z. H. Ng, Buntora Pasaribu, Agamuthu Pariatamby, Cindy Peter, Lindsay Porter, Noir P. Purba, Ernesto T. Santa Cruz, Shahriar Shams, Kirsten F. Thompson, Daniel S. Torres, Rodney Westerlaken, Tuempong Wongtawan, Brendan J. Godley
Summary: Southeast Asia is highly biodiverse and a major contributor to global marine plastic pollution. However, knowledge about the impacts of plastic pollution on marine megafauna in the region is lacking. A literature review and expert elicitation were conducted to gather information on cases of entanglement and ingestion of plastic by various marine species in Southeast Asia. The study found a limited number of published cases, especially for seabirds, highlighting the need for additional funding and data to address this issue.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
Antonia Solomando, Francisca Pujol, Antoni Sureda, Samuel Pinya
Summary: This study provides the first evidence of the impact of plastic debris on stranded cetaceans in the Balearic Islands, specifically in terms of ingestion and entanglement. The findings reveal that 10% of the examined cetaceans had ingested plastic items, and three individuals had plastic debris in their stomachs. Additionally, seven cases of entanglement were recorded, affecting four different species. The study highlights the need for further research on stranded cetaceans to better understand the effects of plastic pollution.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gabriele Meyer, Raquel Puig-Lozano, Antonio Fernandez
Summary: In contrast to the abundance of research on marine debris, there is a lack of scientific attention on terrestrial anthropogenic litter and its impacts. This study aimed to investigate the potential pathological consequences of ingested litter on the health of domestic ruminants, similar to their relatives in the ocean, cetaceans. The study examined meadows in Northern Bavaria, Germany, and found that all five meadows contained garbage, with plastics being the most dominant litter material. Ingested anthropogenic debris had negative effects on the animals' welfare and productivity.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Philip S. Hammond, Tessa B. Francis, Dennis Heinemann, Kristy J. Long, Jeffrey E. Moore, Andre E. Punt, Randall R. Reeves, Maritza Sepulveda, Guojon Mar Sigurosson, Margaret C. Siple, Gisli Vikingsson, Paul R. Wade, Rob Williams, Alexandre N. Zerbini
Summary: This paper provides an overview of methods for estimating marine mammal population abundance, focusing on pinnipeds, cetaceans, and sirenians. Common methods include extrapolation for pinnipeds and transect surveys for cetaceans and sirenians. Key considerations include defining the population, selecting appropriate methods, and understanding the resources needed for data collection and analysis.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nikoleta Bellou, Chiara Gambardella, Konstantinos Karantzalos, Joao Gama Monteiro, Joao Canning-Clode, Stephanie Kemna, Camilo A. Arrieta-Giron, Carsten Lemmen
Summary: An analysis of global solutions to combat marine litter highlights the focus on monitoring solutions, with only a few being ready for use and none validated for efficiency and environmental impact.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bethany L. Clark, Ana P. B. Carneiro, Elizabeth J. Pearmain, Marie-Morgane Rouyer, Thomas A. Clay, Win Cowger, Richard A. Phillips, Andrea Manica, Carolina Hazin, Marcus Eriksen, Jacob Gonzalez-Solis, Josh Adams, Yuri V. Albores-Barajas, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Maria Saldanha Alho, Deusa Teixeira Araujo, Jose Manuel Arcos, John P. Y. Arnould, Nadito J. P. Barbosa, Christophe Barbraud, Annalea M. Beard, Jessie Beck, Elizabeth A. Bell, Della G. Bennet, Maud Berlincourt, Manuel Biscoito, Oskar K. Bjornstad, Mark Bolton, Katherine A. Booth Jones, John J. Borg, Karen Bourgeois, Vincent Bretagnolle, Joel Bried, James V. Briskie, M. de L. Brooke, Katherine C. Brownlie, Leandro Bugoni, Licia Calabrese, Letizia Campioni, Mark J. Carey, Ryan D. Carle, Nicholas Carlile, Ana R. Carreiro, Paulo Catry, Teresa Catry, Jacopo G. Cecere, Filipe R. Ceia, Yves Cherel, Chang-Yong Choi, Marco Cianchetti-Benedetti, Rohan H. Clarke, Jaimie B. Cleeland, Valentina Colodro, Bradley C. Congdon, Johannis Danielsen, Federico De Pascalis, Zoe Deakin, Nina Dehnhard, Giacomo Dell'Omo, Karine Delord, Sebastien Descamps, Ben J. Dilley, Herculano A. Dinis, Jerome Dubos, Brendon J. Dunphy, Louise M. Emmerson, Ana Isabel Fagundes, Annette L. Fayet, Jonathan J. Felis, Johannes H. Fischer, Amanda N. D. Freeman, Aymeric Fromant, Giorgia Gaibani, David Garcia, Carina Gjerdrum, Ivandra Soeli Goncalves Correia Gomes, Manuela G. Forero, Jose P. Granadeiro, W. James Grecian, David Gremillet, Tim Guilford, Gunnar Thor Hallgrimsson, Luke R. Halpin, Erpur Snaer Hansen, April Hedd, Morten Helberg, Halfdan H. Helgason, Leeann M. Henry, Hannah F. R. Hereward, Marcos Hernandez-Montero, Mark A. Hindell, Peter J. Hodum, Simona Imperio, Audrey Jaeger, Mark Jessopp, Patrick G. R. Jodice, Carl G. Jones, Christopher W. Jones, Jon Einar Jonsson, Adam Kane, Sven Kapelj, Yuna Kim, Holly Kirk, Yann Kolbeinsson, Philipp L. Kraemer, Lucas Krueger, Paulo Lago, Todd J. Landers, Jennifer L. Lavers, Matthieu Le Corre, Andreia Leal, Maite Louzao, Jeremy Madeiros, Maria Magalhaes, Mark L. Mallory, Juan F. Masello, Bruno Massa, Sakiko Matsumoto, Fiona McDuie, Laura McFarlane Tranquilla, Fernando Medrano, Benjamin J. Metzger, Teresa Militao, William A. Montevecchi, Rosalinda C. Montone, Leia Navarro-Herrero, Veronica C. Neves, David G. Nicholls, Malcolm A. C. Nicoll, Ken Norris, Steffen Oppel, Daniel Oro, Ellie Owen, Oliver Padget, Vitor H. Paiva, David Pala, Jorge M. Pereira, Clara Peron, Maria V. Petry, Admilton de Pina, Ariete T. Moreira Pina, Patrick Pinet, Pierre A. Pistorius, Ingrid L. Pollet, Benjamin J. Porter, Timothee A. Poupart, Christopher D. L. Powell, Carolina B. Proano, Julia Pujol-Casado, Petra Quillfeldt, John L. Quinn, Andre F. Raine, Helen Raine, Ivan Ramirez, Jaime A. Ramos, Rauel Ramos, Andreas Ravache, Matt J. Rayner, Timothy A. Reid, Gregory J. Robertson, Gerard J. Rocamora, Dominic P. Rollinson, Robert A. Ronconi, Andreu Rotger, Diego Rubolini, Kevin Ruhomaun, Asuncion Ruiz, James C. Russell, Peter G. Ryan, Sarah Saldanha, Ana Sanz-Aguilar, Mariona Sarda-Serra, Yvan G. Satge, Katsufumi Sato, Wiebke C. Schaefer, Stefan Schoombie, Scott A. Shaffer, Nirmal Shah, Akiko Shoji, Dave Shutler, Ingvar A. Sigurosson, Monica C. Silva, Alison E. Small, Cecilia Soldatini, Hallvard Strom, Christopher A. Surman, Akinori Takahashi, Vikash R. V. Tatayah, Graeme A. Taylor, Robert J. Thomas, David R. Thompson, Paul M. Thompson, Thorkell L. Thorarinsson, Diego Vicente-Sastre, Eric Vidal, Ewan D. Wakefield, Susan M. Waugh, Henri Weimerskirch, Heiko U. Wittmer, Takashi Yamamoto, Ken Yoda, Carlos B. Zavalaga, Francis J. Zino, Maria P. Dias
Summary: Plastic pollution and vulnerable marine organisms have uneven distributions. This study combines plastic density estimates and bird movement data to estimate exposure risk. The Mediterranean, Black seas, northeast Pacific, northwest Pacific, South Atlantic, and southwest Indian oceans are high-risk areas. Threatened species have disproportionately high exposure risk. Outside the Mediterranean and Black seas, the high seas and Exclusive Economic Zones of the USA, Japan, and the UK have the highest exposure risk. International collaboration is crucial for addressing marine plastic impacts.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexey E. Kuzin, Alexey M. Trukhin
Summary: This report provides data on the entanglement of Steller sea lions in marine debris on Tyuleniy Island, Sea of Okhotsk. The report estimates the frequency of entanglement based on the material, sex, and age of the animals. The findings show that an average of 22.2 individuals per year were recorded with debris on their bodies, with young males constituting the largest proportion among them (5.2%).
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Francesca Terranova, Alessandra Raffa, Stefano Floridia, Clara Monaco, Livio Favaro
Summary: This study investigated the vocal behavior of dolphins during cetacean bycatch events and found that there was a significant increase in vocal activity, particularly with signature whistles and burst pulses, when dolphins were entangled in fishing nets. The results suggest that developing tools to automatically detect these sound types could be useful in recognizing bycatch events and quantifying the impact of fishing on small cetaceans.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Lauren Roman, Britta Denise Hardesty, Qamar Schuyler
Summary: This review examines the risk of plastic litter to aquatic wildlife and presents a risk assessment methodology. The study finds that species such as the eastern imperial eagle, greater spotted eagle, Ganges River dolphin, and Irrawaddy dolphin are at high risk of entanglement, while cranes, waterfowl, and wading birds face lower risks.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ta-Kang Liu, Hsing Chang, Yung-Sheng Chen
Summary: Marine debris is a major pollution problem in the world's oceans. Taiwan's Marine Debris Governance Platform aims to reduce ocean pollution through a cross-disciplinary approach and collaboration between the public and private sectors.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Emma Verling, Ramon Miralles Ricos, Manuel Bou-Cabo, Guillermo Lara, Maria Garagouni, Jean-Marc Brignon, Tim O'Higgins
Summary: The Marine Strategy Framework Directive aims to achieve Good Environmental Status in European waters, presenting challenges to Member States in monitoring a suite of poorly understood descriptors. To address this burden, a risk-based approach has been standardized for assessment and monitoring, applied to two spatial scales for continuous underwater noise risks. The approach demonstrates its adaptability and usefulness despite data gaps and limitations in understanding, with recommendations for improving data availability and accessibility to increase confidence in outputs.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Manuel Bou-Cabo, Guillermo Lara, Paula Gutierrez-Munoz, C. Saavedra, Ramon Miralles, Victor Espinosa
Summary: In the past decade, efforts have been made by national authorities and European administrations to establish standards for assessing underwater continuous noise, particularly under the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The evaluation of Sound Pressure Level (SPL) and identification of long-term trends in noise have been identified as priorities. However, the methodology for determining threshold values to evaluate Good Environmental Status (GES) has become difficult to define, and discussions are ongoing among expert groups. This study presents a methodology for assessing a specific area, providing a risk index related to the potential masking effect of underwater noise from marine traffic. The methodology focuses on calculating the area under curves defined by animal density and a variable related to underwater noise SPL. Currently, the methodology does not consider physiological or behavioral mechanisms to overcome masking effects.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Charla Jean Basran, Guojon Mar Sigurosson
Summary: This study found significant under-reporting of cetacean bycatch in fisher logbooks, with observers reporting much higher numbers in trawls, nets, and hook and line gears. Despite legal requirements, fishers lack incentives to report and have concerns over negative repercussions to the industry. Introduction of electronic monitoring may provide a more viable option for obtaining reliable bycatch estimates and could potentially replace logbook reporting.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Byeongyong Park, Seung-Kyu Kim, Soobin Joo, Ji-Su Kim, Kyungsik Jo, Nan-Seon Song, Jibin Im, Hee-Jee Lee, Sang Wha Kim, Sung Bin Lee, Sunmin Kim, Youngran Lee, Byung-Yeob Kim, Tae Won Kim
Summary: Microplastics were found in the stomachs and intestines of 12 large marine animals, with a mean abundance of 3.42+/-3.2 items/g. The dominant type of microplastics was transparent-white, fragment-shaped polypropylene smaller than 200 μm. The abundance of microplastics did not correlate with the biological information of the finless porpoises and there were no significant differences between the stomachs and intestines. Further studies are needed to accurately assess the impact of microplastics on large marine animals.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Rafael Andre Lourenco, Satie Taniguchi, Josilene da Silva, Fabiana Dias Costa Gallotta, Marcia Caruso Bicego
Summary: Most marine mammal species are endangered, threatened, or depleted due to factors like organic contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from human activities. This review aims to compare methodologies and data on the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine mammal tissues for the adoption of policies to reduce their impact on the marine environment.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jens J. Currie, Jessica A. McCordic, Grace L. Olson, Abigail F. Machernis, Stephanie H. Stack
Summary: The study investigated the impact of vessel presence on humpback whale behaviors in Maui, Hawaii, showing that vessel proximity resulted in increased swim speed, respiration rate, and path directness, while decreasing dive times. This suggests the need for stricter whale watching guidelines to reduce disturbance to humpback whales and ensure their fitness in changing environments.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jens J. Currie, Martin van Aswegen, Stephanie H. Stack, Kristi L. West, Fabien Vivier, Lars Bejder
Summary: Understanding the impacts of foraging disruptions on odontocete body condition is crucial for assessing the effects of human disturbance and environmental changes on cetacean populations. Through the use of Unoccupied Aerial System, it was found that pygmy killer whales can lose up to 27% of their total body weight within 17 days during foraging disruptions. This study highlights the potential of UAS as a new method to remotely monitor changes in body condition and animal health in odontocetes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Abigail F. Machernis, Stephanie H. Stack, Grace L. Olson, Florence A. Sullivan, Jens J. Currie
Summary: The study found that approximately 27% of bottlenose dolphins and 13% of spotted dolphins in Maui Nui, Hawai'i displayed fishery gear-related scars, indicating a serious threat posed by fisheries interactions to these dolphin populations. The research recommends expanding dorsal fin photo-identification efforts in future surveys to collect more above-and underwater images of animals' mouthlines and bodies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stephanie H. Stack, Kate R. Sprogis, Grace L. Olson, Florence A. Sullivan, Abigail F. Machernis, Jens J. Currie
Summary: Swim-with-whale tourism has expanded globally, particularly targeting humpback whales. Research in Hervey Bay, Australia showed that humpback whale behavior was altered during swim-with-whale tours, emphasizing the importance of minimizing disturbance to ensure population recovery and sustainable marine tourism industry.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jens J. Currie, Stephanie H. Stack
Summary: This study compared cigarette filter counts before and after a policy banning tobacco use on beaches in Maui, Hawai'i, finding no significant difference in littering between control and impact sites after policy implementation. It highlights the need for sustained law enforcement and awareness campaigns accompanying policy changes for effective reduction of cigarette filter litter.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Grace L. Olson, Stephanie H. Stack, Abigail F. Machernis, Florence A. Sullivan, Jens J. Currie
Summary: The increase and diversification of vessel traffic worldwide has led to various disturbances to dolphins. This research focused on the spatial distribution of pantropical spotted dolphins and common bottlenose dolphins in Maui Nui, Hawai'i, and their overlap with different categories of vessel traffic. Spotted dolphins were mainly exposed to vessel traffic in deeper offshore waters, while bottlenose dolphins faced higher risk in shallow coastal waters.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hannah von Hammerstein, Renee O. Setter, Martin van Aswegen, Jens J. Currie, Stephanie H. Stack
Summary: Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are causing global climate change and ocean warming, which will impact marine organisms, especially those with high site fidelity and habitat temperature preferences, such as humpback whales on their breeding grounds. Large-scale projections of climatic variables are crucial to study the effects of warming ocean on marine organisms. Global models are not ideal for predicting localized changes, so providing high-resolution sea surface temperature (SST) projections is important for preserving the ecological integrity of humpback whale breeding areas.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ted Cheeseman, Ken Southerland, Jo Marie Acebes, Katherina Audley, Jay Barlow, Lars Bejder, Caitlin Birdsall, Amanda L. Bradford, Josie K. Byington, John Calambokidis, Rachel Cartwright, Jen Cedarleaf, Andrea Jacqueline Garcia Chavez, Jens J. Currie, Joelle De Weerdt, Nicole Doe, Thomas Doniol-Valcroze, Karina Dracott, Olga Filatova, Rachel Finn, Kiirsten Flynn, John K. B. Ford, Astrid Frisch-Jordan, Christine M. Gabriele, Beth Goodwin, Craig Hayslip, Jackie Hildering, Marie C. Hill, Jeff K. Jacobsen, M. Esther Jimenez-Lopez, Meagan Jones, Nozomi Kobayashi, Edward Lyman, Mark Malleson, Evgeny Mamaev, Pamela Martinez Loustalot, Annie Masterman, Craig Matkin, Christie J. McMillan, Jeff E. Moore, John R. Moran, Janet L. Neilson, Hayley Newell, Haruna Okabe, Marilia Olio, Adam A. Pack, Daniel M. Palacios, Heidi C. Pearson, Ester Quintana-Rizzo, Raul Fernando Ramirez Barragan, Nicola Ransome, Hiram Rosales-Nanduca, Fred Sharpe, Tasli Shaw, Stephanie H. Stack, Iain Staniland, Jan Straley, Andrew Szabo, Suzie Teerlink, Olga Titova, Urban R. Jorge, Martin van Aswegen, Marcel Vinicius de Morais, Olga von Ziegesar, Briana Witteveen, Janie Wray, Kymberly M. Yano, Denny Zwiefelhofer, Phil Clapham
Summary: We provide an extensive dataset of humpback whales in the North Pacific Ocean, including photo identification records and encounter data. The dataset was created through collaboration and combines curated photo-ID catalogs with community science data. An image recognition algorithm based on machine learning was used to quickly and accurately match individuals with a 97-99% accuracy rate. Over the study period of 2001-2021, 27,956 unique individuals were documented in 157,350 encounters, with each individual encountered in an average of 5.6 sampling periods.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Philip T. Patton, Ted Cheeseman, Kenshin Abe, Taiki Yamaguchi, Walter Reade, Ken Southerland, Addison Howard, Erin M. Oleson, Jason B. Allen, Erin Ashe, Aline Athayde, Robin W. Baird, Charla Basran, Elsa Cabrera, John Calambokidis, Julio Cardoso, Emma L. Carroll, Amina Cesario, Barbara J. Cheney, Enrico Corsi, Jens Currie, John W. Durban, Erin A. Falcone, Holly Fearnbach, Kiirsten Flynn, Trish Franklin, Wally Franklin, Barbara Galletti Vernazzani, Tilen Genov, Marie Hill, David R. Johnston, Erin L. Keene, Sabre D. Mahaffy, Tamara L. McGuire, Liah McPherson, Catherine Meyer, Robert Michaud, Anastasia Miliou, Dara N. Orbach, Heidi C. Pearson, Marianne H. Rasmussen, William J. Rayment, Caroline Rinaldi, Renato Rinaldi, Salvatore Siciliano, Stephanie Stack, Beatriz Tintore, Leigh G. Torres, Jared R. Towers, Cameron Trotter, Reny Tyson Moore, Caroline R. Weir, Rebecca Wellard, Randall Wells, Kymberly M. Yano, Jochen R. Zaeschmar, Lars Bejder
Summary: This paper introduces a multi-species photo-identification model based on ArcFace classification head, which is a state-of-the-art method in human facial recognition. The model achieved high predictive performance on the test set by jointly classifying species and identities. It is currently freely available and can be used for noninvasive research in animal ecology.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sabre D. Mahaffy, Robin W. Baird, Annette E. Harnish, Tori Cullins, Stephanie H. Stack, Jens J. Currie, Amanda L. Bradford, Dan R. Salden, Karen K. Martien
Summary: The presence of distinct social groups within an animal population can result in heterogeneity in many aspects of its life history and ecology. In this study, the researchers used photo-identification data over a 23-year period to reassess the number and membership of social clusters in a population of false killer whales. They found that three algorithms consistently identified four social clusters. The findings have implications for population estimation and mitigating interactions with human activities.
ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Holly Self, Stephanie H. Stack, Jens J. Currie, David Lusseau
Summary: Reliable information on the spatial and temporal distribution of mobile species is essential for effective conservation management in the face of human impacts. Utilizing a maximum entropy model, this study found differences in distribution patterns for odontocete species in Maui, Hawai'i, particularly when calves were present or in different seasons. The overlap between dolphin schools with calves and vessel traffic in the region poses a risk for collision and chronic stress, indicating a need for specific regulations to mitigate anthropogenic influences and conserve endangered populations.
ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Atefeh Zendehboudi, Azam Mohammadi, Sina Dobaradaran, Gabriel E. De-la-Torre, Bahman Ramavandi, Seyed Enayat Hashemi, Reza Saeedi, Emran Moradpour Tayebi, Ahmad Vafaee, Amirhossein Darabi
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics (MPs) in ballast water for the first time, and found high levels of MP pollution. These findings contribute to our understanding of the sources and risks of microplastics in marine ecosystems.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rose Boahemaa Pinto, Linda Bogerd, Martine van der Ploeg, Kwame Duah, Remko Uijlenhoet, Tim H. M. van Emmerik
Summary: Catchment-scale plastic pollution assessments provide insights into the sources, sinks, and pathways of plastic pollution. We propose an approach to quantify macroplastic transport and density in the Odaw catchment, Ghana, and find that the urban riverine zone has the highest transport, while the urban tidal zone has the highest riverbank and land macroplastic density.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aliya Baidourela, Qian Sun, Gongxin Yang, Umut Halik, Zhongkai Dong, Kaixu Cai, Guili Sun, Wenya Zhang, Sisi Cheng
Summary: The study focused on heavy metal pollution in the green vegetation of a suburban industrial area in Tuokexun County, Xinjiang, China. The results showed that the overall level of heavy metal pollution in the soil was minor, with mercury (Hg) being the most severe contamination, likely caused by human activities. The composition of heavy metal elements in trees was more stable compared to grass and shrubs, with varying concentrations across different vegetation. Shrubbery was found to be the most effective in heavy metal restoration, and there were disparities in heavy metal enrichment among different vegetation types.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
James H. Bridson, Hayden Masterton, Beatrix Theobald, Regis Risani, Fraser Doake, Jessica A. Wallbank, Stefan D. M. Maday, Gavin Lear, Robert Abbel, Dawn A. Smith, Joanne M. Kingsbury, Olga Pantos, Grant L. Northcott, Sally Gaw
Summary: Plastic pollution has significant environmental impacts, largely due to chemical additives. However, the behavior of plastic additives in marine environments is not well understood. A marine deployment experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of weathering on the extractables profile of four types of plastics in New Zealand over a period of nine months. The concentration of additives in polyethylene and oxo-degradable polyethylene was strongly influenced by artificial weathering, while polyamide 6 and polyethylene terephthalate showed minimal change. These findings emphasize the importance of considering leaching and weathering effects on plastic composition when assessing the potential impact and risk of plastic pollution in receiving environments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alan G. Scarlett, Francis D. Spilsbury, Steven J. Rowland, Marthe Monique Gagnon, Kliti Grice
Summary: This study used diamondoid hydrocarbon distributions to identify the sources of environmental oil contamination. A suite of 20 diamondoids was found to accumulate in fish adipose tissue. The scatter plots of indices between fish and exposure oils showed a close to ideal 1:1 relationship, which can be used to determine the origin of the oil.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shan Jiang, Mengmeng Wan, Kun Lin, Yanshan Chen, Rui Wang, Liju Tan, Jiangtao Wang
Summary: In this study, the concentration, composition, distribution, and sources of PCBs in surface seawater of the Bohai Bay were analyzed. The results showed that PCBs in the Bohai Bay had high concentrations and were primarily derived from land-based sources such as port activities and river inputs. The PCBs in the Bohai Bay may come from commercial PCBs and their incineration products, municipal landfills, wood and coal combustion, and industrial activities, etc.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Icaro S. A. Porto, Saulo V. A. Dantas, Caio S. A. Felix, Francisco A. S. Cunha, Jailson B. de Andrade, Sergio L. C. Ferreira
Summary: This study evaluated the risks of mercury levels in sardines consumed by low-income population in Salvador, Brazil. The results showed that the mercury content in the sampled sardines posed no risks to human health. This study is significant as most sardines in Salvador come from Todos os Santos Bay, which has a history of mercury contamination.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiahui Chen, Chengyu Yuan, Guanqun Zhai, Guangcheng Chen, Heng Zhu, Jun Liu, Yong Ye
Summary: This study investigated the combined influences of species selection and site elevation on greenhouse gas fluxes from restored mangrove soils. The results suggest that Avicennia marina should be selected for mangrove restoration to minimize carbon release and reduce the influence of greenhouse gas fluxes on the global greenhouse effect.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emmanuel Onyeabor, Uju Obuka
Summary: The Gulf of Guinea region in Africa is a significant area for coastal countries, playing a vital role in their economic and environmental development. This study aims to reduce marine plastic pollution in the region by utilizing legal instruments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuanli Liu, Stephan Luttjohann, Alvise Vianello, Claudia Lorenz, Fan Liu, Jes Vollertsen
Summary: Large area attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (LAATR-FTIR) is a novel technique for detecting small microplastics, with limited accuracy for large microplastics. However, it shows promise in homogeneous matrices. The spectra quality is comparable between transmission mode and LAATR mode.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Phuc T. D. Le, Andrew M. Fischer, Britta D. Hardesty, Heidi J. Auman, Chris Wilcox
Summary: This study explores the relationship between ocean currents and the accumulation of floating marine debris (FMD) and finds that higher concentrations of FMD are associated with frontal frequencies (FF). FMD is primarily trapped in accumulation zones between fronts and the coastline, which have high biodiversity value.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosa Sawan, Perine Doyen, Florence Viudes, Rachid Amara, Celine Mahfouz
Summary: Few studies have examined the impact of urbanization and meteorological events on microplastics discharged into the sea through rivers. Surface water samples were collected from two Lebanese rivers, with differing degrees of urbanization, during dry and wet periods. The results showed that the most industrialized river had a significantly higher abundance of microplastics compared to the less-industrialized river. There was also a correlation between particle contamination and the season at each site, with microplastic concentrations highest on the first day of the wet season. These findings highlight the importance of considering meteorological events in accurately assessing plastic pollution influx into coastal waters.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherine R. Shaw, Jonathan L. Whitney, Eileen M. Nalley, Madeline C. Schmidbauer, Megan J. Donahue, Jesse Black, Raquel N. Corniuk, Kellie Teague, Rachel Sandquist, Catherine Pirkle, Rachel Dacks, Max Sudnovsky, Jennifer M. Lynch
Summary: This study examines the ingestion of plastic in reef fish in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Plastic particles were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of multiple fish species. However, further analysis revealed that these particles were actually natural materials and posed no threat to human consumers.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Revati Hardikar, C. K. Haridevi, Shantaj Deshbhratar
Summary: This study investigated the variability in phytoplankton functional structure using a trait-based approach and explored the relationship between species traits and environmental factors, as well as their impact on ecosystem functioning. The results revealed that morphological traits, temperature, and ammonia played a decisive role in the seasonal succession of phytoplankton species. It was found that certain traits favored higher biomass production but might hinder energy transfer efficiency. The strong correlation between environmental variables and phytoplankton functional structure supports the practical implementation of a trait-based approach in studying phytoplankton community dynamics under different environmental conditions.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Engki A. Kisnarti, Nining Sari Ningsih, Mutiara R. Putri, Nani Hendiarti, Bernhard Mayer
Summary: This study examines the movement patterns of plastic marine debris in Indonesian waters, revealing that Indonesia contributes significantly to transboundary marine debris in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the South China Sea. Most of the debris remains in Indonesian waters and moves back and forth due to the influence of monsoon currents.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)