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Basin-scale sources and pathways of microplastic that ends up in the Galápagos Archipelago
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Researchers used ocean transport modeling to trace the sources of plastic litter washing up on the Galapagos Islands, finding that most originates from distant coastal sources rather than local activity. The work highlights how remote, protected ecosystems can be contaminated by plastic pollution generated far away.
Abstract. The Galápagos Archipelago and Marine Reserve lies 1000 km off the coast of Ecuador and is among the world's most iconic wildlife refuges. However, plastic litter is now found even in this remote and iconic island archipelago. Prior to this study, the sources of this plastic litter on Galápagos coastlines were unidentified. Local sources are widely expected to be small, given the limited population and environmentally-conscious tourism industry. Here, we show that remote coastal sources of plastic pollution are also fairly localized and limited to South and Central American coastlines, in particular Northern Peru and Southern Ecuador. Using virtual floating plastic particles transported in high-resolution ocean surface currents, we analysed the backward-in-time and forward-in-time pathways and connectivity between the Galápagos region and the coastlines around the East Pacific Ocean. We also analysed how incorporation of wave-driven currents (Stokes drift) affects these pathways and connectivity. We found that only virtual particles that enter the ocean from Peru, Ecuador and (when waves are not taken into account) Colombia can reach the Galápagos. It takes these particles a few months to travel from their coastal sources on the American continent to the Galápagos region. The connectivity does not seem to vary substantially between El Niño and La Niña years. Identifying these sources and the timing and patterns of the transport can be useful for identifying integrated management opportunities to reduce plastic pollution from reaching the Galápagos Archipelago.
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Basin-scale sources and pathways of microplastic that ends up in the Galápagos Archipelago
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Researchers used ocean surface current modeling to trace sources of plastic litter accumulating on Galápagos Archipelago coastlines, finding that pollution originates primarily from nearby fishing regions and South American coastlines, particularly northern Peru and southern Ecuador.
Understanding the sources of marine litter in remote islands: The Galapagos islands as a case study
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Researchers tracked plastic bottle litter on 60 remote beaches across the Galapagos Islands from 2018 to 2022 to determine where marine debris originates. The study found that 76% of beaches were badly polluted, with bottles traced to sources in Asia, South America, and Central America, demonstrating how ocean currents carry plastic waste thousands of miles to even the most isolated island ecosystems.
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Researchers used oceanographic modeling to trace the sources of plastic marine litter contaminating the remote Easter Island Ecoregion, finding contributions from distant land-based sources carried by ocean currents. The study illustrates how plastic pollution can reach even the most isolated marine ecosystems far from population centers.
Darwin's paradise contaminated by marine debris. Understanding their sources and accumulation dynamics.☆
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Researchers documented marine debris contamination across the Galapagos Islands, finding microplastics present even in these remote pristine environments, with oceanographic currents and local sources both contributing to accumulation patterns across beach sediments.
Plastic contamination of a Galapagos Island (Ecuador) and the relative risks to native marine species
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Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of plastic contamination across the marine ecosystem of a Galapagos island — covering beaches, water, sediment, and invertebrates — and found widespread contamination including in native species, identifying dominant sources and risk levels for key marine animals.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.