Microplastics were recently found
to aggregate in the blue carbon
ecosystems (BCEs), which are known for their ability to store carbon
by slowing down the water flow. However, evidence is largely lacking
on how the accumulation of microplastics is related to carbon sequestration
in BCEs and if this trap effect is driven by its biological characteristics.
In this study, the trap effect of microplastics by BCEs was evaluated
for various seagrasses (Zostera japonica, Halophila ovalis, and Halophila beccarii) and mangroves (Aegiceras corniculatum and Avicennia
marina). Significant accumulation was found in the
seagrass meadow dominated by H. beccarii and the mangrove forest dominated by A. marina, with microplastics enriched by 1.3 to 17.6 times compared to their
corresponding unvegetated sites. The abundance of microplastics varied
greatly from 17.68 ± 8.10 to 611.75 ± 81.52 particles per
kg of dry sediment, with the highest abundance in A.
marina mangrove sediments. A strong positive correlation
was found between the abundance of microplastics and the particulate
organic carbon content at all study sites (Pearson, R = 0.86, p < 0.01). Higher diversity of microplastic
colors and size was found in the H. beccarii meadow, and higher diversity of shapes was found in the A. marina forest. Our results added new insights
to the understanding of the mechanism of microplastic trapping by
BCEs and coupled the behavior of microplastics with the organic carbon
in the sediment.
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