Descriptions and patterns in opportunistic marine debris collected near Palmer Station, Antarctica.
Mar Pollut Bull
; 199: 115952, 2024 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38142665
ABSTRACT
Observations of marine debris in Antarctica have been increasing; however, impacts, distributions, sources, and transport pathways of debris remain poorly understood. Here, we describe the spatial distribution, types, and potential origins of marine debris in 2022/2023 near Palmer Station, Antarctica. We opportunistically collected 135 pieces of marine debris with the majority of items found along shorelines (90 %), some found in/near seabird nests/colonies (7 %) and few on inland rocky terrain (3 %). Plastic and abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear dominated observed debris. Results suggest that wind and the Antarctic Coastal Current may be a major pathway for debris. This study is the first assessment of marine debris in this region and suggests that oceanography, weather patterns, and shoreline geomorphology could play a role in determining where debris will accumulate. Continued tracking of debris and development of structured surveys is important for understanding the impacts of human activities in a biological hotspot.
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Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Resíduos
/
Monitoramento Ambiental
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article