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Changes in the composition of ichthyoplankton assemblage and plastic debris in mangrove creeks relative to moon phases
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Researchers studied how lunar phases influence the distribution of fish larvae and plastic debris in mangrove creek waters in Brazil, finding that moon phase affected where both larvae and plastic particles accumulated. The study highlights how tidal and lunar dynamics shape where plastic debris concentrates in ecologically important coastal nursery habitats.
Lunar influence on the distribution of fish larvae, zooplankton and plastic debris in mangrove creeks of the Goiana Estuary, Brazil, was studied over a lunar cycle. Cetengraulis edentulus, Anchovia clupeoides and Rhinosardinia bahiensis were the most abundant fish larvae (56·6%), independent of the moon phase. The full moon had a positive influence on the abundance of Gobionellus oceanicus, Cynoscion acoupa and Atherinella brasiliensis, and the new moon on Ulaema lefroyi. The full and new moons also influenced the number of zoeae and megalopae of Ucides cordatus, protozoeae and larvae of caridean shrimps, and the number of hard and soft plastic debris, both <5 and >5 mm. Micro and macroplastics were present in samples from all 12 creeks studied, at densities similar to the third most abundant taxon, R. bahiensis. Cetengraulis edentulus and R. bahiensis showed a strong positive correlation with the last quarter moon, when there was less zooplankton available in the creeks and higher abundance of microplastic threads. Anchovia clupeoides, Diapterus rhombeus, U. lefroyi and hard microplastics were positively associated with different moon phases, when calanoid copepods, Caridean larvae and zoeae of U. cordatus were highly available in the creeks. Cynoscion acoupa, G. oceanicus and A. brasiliensis were strongly associated with the full moon, when protozoeae of caridean shrimps and megalopae of U. cordatus were also highly available, as were hard and soft macroplastics, paint chips (<5 mm) and soft microplastics. The results reinforce the role of mangrove creeks as nursery habitats. The moon phases influenced the distribution of fish larvae species, zooplankton and plastic debris by changing their compositions and abundances in the mangrove creeks of the Goiana Estuary when under the influence of different tidal current regimes.
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Spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in the Belawan Estuary, Indonesia
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Researchers tracked microplastic levels across different tidal cycles and lunar phases in an Indonesian estuary, finding that concentrations peaked near the coastline during high tide and full moon periods. The study shows that tidal currents and seasonal water flow patterns strongly control where microplastics accumulate, which is important for designing cleanup strategies.
Dynamic characteristics of microplastics under tidal influence and potential indirect monitoring methods
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Researchers investigated microplastic dynamics in tidal river channels and found that abundance fluctuated significantly with tidal cycles, increasing during flood tides and decreasing during ebb tides, with a strong linear relationship between microplastic levels and water flow rates.
Vertical distribution and river-sea transport of microplastics with tidal fluctuation in a subtropical estuary, China
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Researchers investigated how tidal fluctuation affects the vertical distribution and river-sea transport of microplastics in a subtropical estuary in China, finding that tidal dynamics significantly influence microplastic size, concentration, and movement between river and marine environments.
Distribution patterns of microplastics within the plankton of a tropical estuary
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Microplastics were found throughout a tropical Brazilian estuary across different seasons and zones, with densities roughly half those of fish larvae and comparable to fish egg densities. The results raise the possibility that microplastics compete with or are mistaken for natural food items by larval fish in this ecologically critical nursery habitat.
Dynamics of microplastic abundance under tidal fluctuation in Musi estuary, Indonesia
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This first study of microplastic dynamics under tidal influence in the Musi River Estuary, Indonesia, found that particle abundance fluctuated with flood and ebb tides, with tidal forcing shaping microplastic transport across estuarine zones.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.