Microplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact
Abstract Marine microplastic is pervasive, polluting the remotest ecosystems including the Southern Ocean. Since this region is already undergoing climatic changes, the additional stress of microplastic pollution on the ecosystem should not be considered in isolation. We identify potential hotspot a...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79816-y |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841559505931862016 |
|---|---|
| author | Aidan Hunter Sally E. Thorpe Arlie H. McCarthy Clara Manno |
| author_facet | Aidan Hunter Sally E. Thorpe Arlie H. McCarthy Clara Manno |
| author_sort | Aidan Hunter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Marine microplastic is pervasive, polluting the remotest ecosystems including the Southern Ocean. Since this region is already undergoing climatic changes, the additional stress of microplastic pollution on the ecosystem should not be considered in isolation. We identify potential hotspot areas of ecological impact from a spatial overlap analysis of multiple data sets to understand where marine biota are likely to interact with local microplastic emissions (from ship traffic and human populations associated with scientific research and tourism). Then we account for cumulative effects by identifying which areas with potential elevated microplastic-biota interaction are already subject to climate change related stresses (ocean warming and acidification). Our analysis indicates that biologically productive coastal areas in proximity to populated facilities are where microplastics pose most risk to the ecosystem, and that the northern Antarctic Peninsula is likely to be the main risk hotspot. This study is the first to map the threat of microplastics to the Southern Ocean ecosystem in a multi-stressor context, locating where microplastic monitoring programmes and mitigation measures may be considered a matter of urgency. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-85eb31d050f2455792312483cce3360c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-85eb31d050f2455792312483cce3360c2025-01-05T12:25:30ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-12-0114111210.1038/s41598-024-79816-yMicroplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impactAidan Hunter0Sally E. Thorpe1Arlie H. McCarthy2Clara Manno3British Antarctic SurveyBritish Antarctic SurveyBritish Antarctic SurveyBritish Antarctic SurveyAbstract Marine microplastic is pervasive, polluting the remotest ecosystems including the Southern Ocean. Since this region is already undergoing climatic changes, the additional stress of microplastic pollution on the ecosystem should not be considered in isolation. We identify potential hotspot areas of ecological impact from a spatial overlap analysis of multiple data sets to understand where marine biota are likely to interact with local microplastic emissions (from ship traffic and human populations associated with scientific research and tourism). Then we account for cumulative effects by identifying which areas with potential elevated microplastic-biota interaction are already subject to climate change related stresses (ocean warming and acidification). Our analysis indicates that biologically productive coastal areas in proximity to populated facilities are where microplastics pose most risk to the ecosystem, and that the northern Antarctic Peninsula is likely to be the main risk hotspot. This study is the first to map the threat of microplastics to the Southern Ocean ecosystem in a multi-stressor context, locating where microplastic monitoring programmes and mitigation measures may be considered a matter of urgency.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79816-y |
| spellingShingle | Aidan Hunter Sally E. Thorpe Arlie H. McCarthy Clara Manno Microplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact Scientific Reports |
| title | Microplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact |
| title_full | Microplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact |
| title_fullStr | Microplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact |
| title_short | Microplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact |
| title_sort | microplastic hotspots mapped across the southern ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79816-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aidanhunter microplastichotspotsmappedacrossthesouthernoceanrevealareasofpotentialecologicalimpact AT sallyethorpe microplastichotspotsmappedacrossthesouthernoceanrevealareasofpotentialecologicalimpact AT arliehmccarthy microplastichotspotsmappedacrossthesouthernoceanrevealareasofpotentialecologicalimpact AT claramanno microplastichotspotsmappedacrossthesouthernoceanrevealareasofpotentialecologicalimpact |