Fate and Effects of Macro- and Microplastics in Coastal Wetlands
Environmental Science & Technology2022
137 citations
?
Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 60
?
0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Cecilia Martin,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Xiaoguang Ouyang
Xiaoguang Ouyang
Xiaoguang Ouyang
Xiaoguang Ouyang
Xiaoguang Ouyang,
Xiaoguang Ouyang,
Xiaoguang Ouyang,
Xiaoguang Ouyang,
Cecilia Martin,
Cecilia Martin,
Cecilia Martin,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Cecilia Martin,
Cecilia Martin,
Shing Yip Lee,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Stefano Cannicci,
Cecilia Martin,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Cecilia Martin,
Cecilia Martin,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Cecilia Martin,
Shing Yip Lee,
Shing Yip Lee,
Siu Gin Cheung,
N.F.Y. Tam,
N.F.Y. Tam,
N.F.Y. Tam,
N.F.Y. Tam,
N.F.Y. Tam,
N.F.Y. Tam,
N.F.Y. Tam,
N.F.Y. Tam,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Stefano Cannicci,
Stefano Cannicci,
Stefano Cannicci,
Stefano Cannicci,
Stefano Cannicci,
Stefano Cannicci,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Cecilia Martin,
Cecilia Martin,
Cecilia Martin,
Xiaoguang Ouyang
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Xiaoguang Ouyang,
Cecilia Martin,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Carlos M. Duarte,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Stefano Cannicci,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Stefano Cannicci,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Siu Gin Cheung,
N.F.Y. Tam,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Stefano Cannicci,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Siu Gin Cheung,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Cecilia Martin,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Stefano Cannicci,
Siu Gin Cheung,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Stefano Cannicci,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Shing Yip Lee,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Siu Gin Cheung,
N.F.Y. Tam,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Shing Yip Lee,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Carlos M. Duarte,
Siu Gin Cheung,
Xiaoguang Ouyang,
Xiaoguang Ouyang
Summary
Researchers compiled data from 112 studies to evaluate how macro- and microplastics accumulate in and affect coastal wetlands including mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass beds. They found that plastic concentrations in wetland sediments and marine animals were roughly 200 times higher than in the water column, indicating these ecosystems act as major plastic sinks. The study warns that plastic accumulation can alter sediment properties, harm wildlife, and disrupt the carbon storage function of these critical habitats.
Study Type
Environmental
Coastal wetlands trap plastics from terrestrial and marine sources, but the stocks of plastics and their impacts on coastal wetlands are poorly known. We evaluated the stocks, fate, and biological and biogeochemical effects of plastics in coastal wetlands with plastic abundance data from 112 studies. The representative abundance of plastics that occurs in coastal wetland sediments and is ingested by marine animals reaches 156.7 and 98.3 items kg<sup>-1</sup>, respectively, 200 times higher than that (0.43 items kg<sup>-1</sup>) in the water column. Plastics are more abundant in mangrove forests and tidal marshes than in tidal flats and seagrass meadows. The variation in plastic abundance is related to climatic and geographic zones, seasons, and population density or plastic waste management. The abundance of plastics ingested by pelagic and demersal fish increases with fish length and dry weight. The dominant characteristics of plastics ingested by marine animals are correlated with those found in coastal wetland sediments. Microplastics exert negative effects on biota abundance and mangrove survival but positive effects on sediment nutrients, leaf drop, and carbon emission. We highlight that plastic pollution is widespread in coastal wetlands and actions are urged to include microplastics in ecosystem health and degradation assessment.