We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Data Sheet 1_Dual mobilization of buried microplastics and organic carbon driven by seagrass degradation: a case study from Swan Lake, China.docx
Summary
Researchers collected sediment cores from a Zostera japonica seagrass bed and adjacent degraded area in Swan Lake, China, finding that microplastic stock was significantly higher in intact seagrass beds (84.5 million particles/ha) than degraded areas, and that seagrass degradation releases both microplastics and stored organic carbon.
Seagrass beds are significant sinks for microplastics. However, the degradation of seagrass beds poses significant challenges, and evidence regarding its impacts on microplastic sinks remains scarce. In this study, sediment cores were collected to investigate microplastic stock and composition, microplastic carbon, and organic carbon stock in Zostera japonica seagrass bed and adjacent degraded area in a lagoon Swan Lake, China. The microplastic stock in seagrass bed (84.5 ± 18.5 million particles ha-1) was found significantly higher than degraded area (51.8 ± 0.6 million particles ha-1), resulting in release of 38.7% of buried microplastics reactivated in water column. Similarly, 30.0% of the microplastic carbon stock and 66.1% of the total organic carbon stock were eroded due to seagrass degradation. The carbon stocks derived from microplastics were estimated at 0.19 ± 0.10 kg C ha-1 in the seagrass bed and 0.13 ± 0.11 kg C ha-1 in the degraded area, contributing minimally to the total organic carbon stock (0.0023% and 0.0026%, respectively). Notably, seagrass degradation within a single year may trigger rapid erosion of organic carbon and microplastics buried for over 20 years in Swan Lake. A linear relationship was observed between sediment microplastic carbon and total organic carbon contents (Organic carbon = 1990 + 35100 × Microplastic carbon, R² = 0.26, p < 0.001). Microplastics in the sediments were predominantly fiber (48.1%), black (40.7%), 250–500 µm (47.0%) microplastics in degraded area, while plate (26.7%), blue and transparent, each contributing 26.7% and 125–250 µm (38.2%) in seagrass bed. Seagrass bed degradation may not only reduce the stock of microplastics in the sediments but also alter their composition. This study initially quantified the contribution of microplastics to organic carbon stocks in seagrass bed sediments and underscored the urgent need for seagrass conservation to mitigate climate change and prevent the remobilization of historically buried microplastics.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Dual mobilization of buried microplastics and organic carbon driven by seagrass degradation: a case study from Swan Lake, China
Sediment core analysis of a Chinese seagrass bed showed that degradation of Zostera japonica seagrass releases both buried microplastics and organic carbon back into the environment, converting a pollution sink into a source.
New Insights into the Microplastic Enrichment in the Blue Carbon Ecosystem: Evidence from Seagrass Meadows and Mangrove Forests in Coastal South China Sea
Researchers studied how seagrass meadows and mangrove forests in the South China Sea trap microplastics, finding enrichment of 1.3 to 17.6 times compared to unvegetated sites, with a strong positive correlation between microplastic abundance and organic carbon content (Pearson R = 0.86).
Microplastic abundance and its relationship with sediment grain size in seagrass and bare flats of Panjang Island, Banten Bay, Indonesia
Researchers surveying Panjang Island in Indonesia's Banten Bay found microplastics throughout both seagrass and bare sediment areas, with finer-grained sediments accumulating more particles. Seagrass beds appeared to trap more microplastics than bare areas, meaning these critical coastal habitats — already under stress — may concentrate plastic pollution and expose the organisms sheltering in them to higher doses.
Seagrass beds reveal high abundance of microplastic in sediments: A case study in the Baltic Sea
Seagrass bed sediments in the Baltic Sea were found to harbor significantly higher microplastic concentrations than surrounding bare sediments, indicating that seagrass canopies trap and accumulate microplastics and may be underappreciated hotspots of contamination.
Trapping of microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in seagrass beds: Ubiquity across a vertical and horizontal sampling gradient
Researchers examined how seagrass beds trap microplastics and other anthropogenic particles by sampling along a vegetation cover gradient from dense beds to less vegetated patches. The study found that seagrass vegetation enhances the accumulation of plastic debris in both sediment and among plant structures. Evidence indicates that seagrass ecosystems act as significant sinks for microplastic pollution, with implications for the organisms that depend on these habitats.