We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Macroplastic in soil and peat. A case study from the remote islands of Mausund and Froan landscape conservation area, Norway; implications for coastal cleanups and biodiversity
Summary
Researchers documented macroplastic accumulation in soil and peat on the remote Norwegian islands of Mausund and Froan, finding that marine plastic litter transported to these coastal conservation areas poses threats to terrestrial biodiversity and complicates cleanup efforts.
Marine plastic litter is ubiquitous and knowledge about its impact on coasts, open waters, the deep-sea, and the biota found in those habitats is increasing. However, studies of how it affects terrestrial environments such as islands are not as common. Over time, macroplastics in marine, as well as terrestrial environments, will fragment into microplastics. A toxic level of microplastic is defined by characteristics of the specific organisms and the habitat it affects, but also of the plastic itself. Plastic litter is being collected from wilderness areas through beach-cleanups by volunteers, schools and professionals. A question that needs to be addressed is whether macroplastic that is partially weathered and buried under vegetation should be taken out of the topsoil layer or left untouched to further degrade with the risk of negative impacts on soil organisms or removed from the topsoil layer. A quantification of the amount of plastic found within the topsoil layer is therefore of great interest. In this study, a survey was conducted in spring/autumn 2020 at Mausund and Froan landscape conservation area in Frøya municipality, Norway (N63°). Thirteen samples of vegetated soil from above the storm tide limit from eight remote and uninhabited islands were collected, quantified and analyzed, and the results showed high amounts of plastic. Potential future concentrations of microplastic in the samples if left untouched are estimated, based on a formula from existing literature.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Water infiltration capacity in soil polluted with macroplastics
Researchers investigated how macroplastic litter buried in organic-rich coastal soils in central Norway affects water infiltration and percolation rates, conducting field measurements on outer coastal islands where converging ocean currents deposit large plastic loads, to quantify the hydrological impacts of macroplastic soil contamination.
Assessing microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils: Insights from pristine, agricultural, and urban environments
Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils including pristine, agricultural, and urban sites to determine whether long-range atmospheric deposition reaches this sparsely populated island. Microplastics were detected across all site types, confirming atmospheric transport as a pathway to remote northern ecosystems.
Assessing microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils: Insights from pristine, agricultural, and urban environments
Researchers analyzed microplastic accumulation in pristine and remote soils in Iceland to test whether long-range atmospheric transport deposits microplastics in undisturbed environments. Microplastics were detected in Icelandic soils, confirming that atmospheric deposition reaches isolated environments far from plastic sources.
Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics in Soils and Intertidal Sediments at Fildes Bay, Maritime Antarctica
Researchers found microplastic contamination in soils and intertidal sediments at Fildes Bay in Maritime Antarctica, with higher concentrations near research stations, demonstrating that even remote polar environments are affected by microplastic pollution.
Water infiltration capacity in soil polluted with macroplastics
Researchers measured water infiltration rates in organic-rich coastal soils in central Norway that had accumulated buried macroplastic litter deposited by converging ocean currents, quantifying how macroplastic contamination alters vertical water transport capacity in these ecologically important near-coastal soils.