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Description of the Resource

Title
The true depth of the Mediterranean plastic problem
Title (original)
The true depth of the Mediterranean plastic problem
Description
Extreme microplastic pollution on marine turtle nesting beaches in Cyprus.
Authors
Emily M.Duncan, JessicaArrowsmith, CharlotteBain, Annette C. Broderick, Jonathon Lee, Kristian Metcalfe, Stephen K.Pikesley, Robin T.E.Snape, Erikvan Sebille, Brendan J.Godley
Publication year
2018
Resource type
Scientific publication
Language
English
Areas of knowledge
Microplastics
Toxicity and impact of meso and macro marine litter
Number of links to resource
1
Other relevant information
17 nesting sites were sampled for loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Cyprus. Microplastics (<5 mm) were found at all locations and depths, with particularly high abundance in superficial sand. The top 2 cm of sand presented grand mean ± SD particle counts of 45,497 ± 11,456 particles m−3 (range 637–131,939 particles m−3). The most polluted beaches were among the worst thus far recorded, presenting levels approaching those previously recorded in Guangdong, South China. Microplastics decreased with increasing sand depth but were present down to turtle nest depths of 60 cm (mean 5,325 ± 3,663 particles m−3. Composition varied among beaches but hard fragments (46.5 ± 3.5%) and pre-production nurdles (47.8 ± 4.5%) comprised most categorised pieces. Particle drifter analysis hindcast for 365 days indicated that most plastic likely originated from the eastern Mediterranean basin. Worsening microplastic abundance could result in anthropogenically altered life history parameters such as hatching success and sex ratios in marine turtles.

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Related Project (1)