Wind, waves, tides, and human error? - Influences on litter abundance and composition on German North Sea coastlines: An exploratory analysis.
Beach litter
Exposure
Litter monitoring
Marine debris
North Sea
Wind
Journal
Marine pollution bulletin
ISSN: 1879-3363
Titre abrégé: Mar Pollut Bull
Pays: England
ID NLM: 0260231
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Sep 2019
Sep 2019
Historique:
received:
07
03
2019
revised:
26
05
2019
accepted:
27
05
2019
pubmed:
21
8
2019
medline:
4
12
2019
entrez:
21
8
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Being globally and locally prevalent, beach litter has been monitored at 29 sites along the German North Sea coastline. This study offers an exploratory analysis of data from 1991 to 2016. Schleswig-Holstein exhibited lower mean litter pollution levels than Lower Saxony, possibly because the locations in Lower Saxony are situated along the main coastal current, whereas the North Frisian Islands act as a barrier for the mainland sites in Schleswig-Holstein. Locations close to the Elbe estuary had significantly larger amounts of debris, likely receiving litter from marine and riverine sources. No clear overall pattern in litter abundance or composition could be detected. Significant quantitative similarities between debris types were inconsistent. The effect of wind, tides, and exposure appeared to be marginal. Recurring data inconsistencies, gaps, and outliers were partly attributed to human error. This could be reduced through hypothesis-driven monitoring with a simpler litter classification and continuous data checking.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31426143
pii: S0025-326X(19)30430-8
doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.05.062
pii:
doi:
Substances chimiques
Waste Products
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
155-172Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.