Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: n.santodomingo@nhm.ac.uk
  • 2 Geography, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Rennes Drive, EX4 4RJ Exeter, United Kingdom
  • 3 Borneo Marine Research Institute, University Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
  • 4 Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD London, United Kingdom
Mar Pollut Bull, 2021 Dec;173(Pt A):112998.
PMID: 34624630 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112998

Abstract

Marine litter is recognized as an increasing component of marine ecosystem pollution. In this baseline study, we document the magnitude, types, sources, and potential impacts of litter on six coral reefs in East Sabah. We applied a simplified classification of litter to extract abundance data from video transects. The average density was 10.7 items per 100 m2. Plastics represent 91% and the remaining 9% were metal, glass, and wood. Most (~70%) plastics are single-use items derived from dumping. Discarded fishing gear accounts for ~25%. Litter pollution increases closer to urban developments, with Sakar reef having higher densities (51 items per 100 m2), and higher Clean Coast Index (CCI = 10.2, dirty) and higher Plastic Abundance Index (PAI = 4.68) scores. This method could and should be readily integrated into ongoing monitoring programs to support assessments of the extent and magnitude of marine litter pollution on reefs worldwide.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.