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Macroplastics in the Bottom of the Veracruz Reef System National Park
Summary
Researchers surveyed macroplastic accumulation on the seafloor of the Veracruz Reef System National Park, finding that fishing gear comprised 57% of macroplastic debris, followed by plastic fragments (14%) and textiles (9%). The study found that material density relative to seawater and proximity to economic activities near reefs were the strongest determinants of macroplastic distribution and classification, leading to a theoretical distribution model.
The presence of macroplastics in the marine ecosystem is one of the most serious types of pollution today. On the seabed of reef ecosystems, macroplastics are an indicator of contamination because they are easily observable due to their size greater than 2.5 cm. When these wastes sink, they cause serious damage, such as physical changes to the seabed, entanglement, ingestion and transport of invasive species, and can serve as vectors for other pollutants. The main types of macroplastics found in this research work correspond to 57% fishing gear, 14% plastic fragments and 9% textiles. Most of the macroplastics were located in the Veracruz reef subsystem, in the Gallega, Anegada de adentro, Ingenieros, Pájaros and Hornos reefs; In the Antón Li-zardo reef subsystem, macroplastics were found in the Anegadilla reef and in the middle. In reference to the concentration of macroplastics at the bottom of the PNSAV, it is possible to point out that the higher the density of the material with respect to seawater, the economic activities carried out near the reefs have a greater influence, both in the distribution and in the classification of macroplastics, compared to the hydrodynamics. Finally, with all these elements, a theoretical model of distribution and concentration of macroplastics in reef bottoms is proposed.