Marine Debris in the Beilun Estuary Mangrove Forest: Monitoring, Assessment and Implications

Abstract

A modified approach for marine debris investigation in mangrove forests is developed, including some practical programs, viz., sampling location, time, area, materials, size and sources data processing. The marine debris method was practiced in the Beilun Estuary mangrove forest region in Fangchenggang in 2019, viz., the debris items were classified, counted, weighed and recorded, and the marine debris pollution was assessed to understand the impact of human activities. The results show that the mass density is 21.123 (2.355~51.760) g/m2, and more than 90% came from the land-based and human activities. More than 60% of the total debris weights are plastics, followed by fabrics (17.91%) and Styrofoam (10.07%); the big-size and oversize debris account for 76.41% and 13.33%, respectively. The quantity density is 0.163 (0.013~0.420) item/m2, and ~95% came from land-based human activities. More than 75% of the total debris items were plastics, followed by Styrofoam (14.36%), fabrics (4.10%) and glass (3.59%); the big-size, medium-size and oversize debris are 76.41%, 13.33% and 10.26%, respectively. The results suggest that mangrove forests are barriers for the medium-/big-size marine debris, acting as traps for marine debris. Our study provides recommendations and practical guidance for establishing programs to monitor and assess the distribution and abundance of marine debris. The results show that mangrove areas in the Beilun Estuary are filled with some plastic debris (plastics plus Styrofoam) and that the density and type at Zhushan and Rongshutou near the China-Vietnam border are more than those at Shijiao and Jiaodong. The results of this study are also expected to not only provide baseline data for the future assessment of Beilun Estuary mangroves but also to help China and Vietnam strengthen marine land-based pollution control and promote coastal wetland and mangrove conservation, marine species conservation and sustainable use.

Marine debris invasion and pollution assessment in mangrove wetlands in the northern South China Sea

“…Sampling, analysis, identification, and statistics. Based on a modified approach which has been applied in the Beilun Estuary mangrove region in Fangchenggang (B,L) in 2019 (Li et al, 2021), the type, quantity, weight, and size of marine debris items will be recorded using the visual and weighting methods (if possible, take a photo in situ and record some information sufficient to identify the possible sources). Several terms to describe the relative size of debris items are simple and useful, but are not part of the SI system as previously reported (GESAMP, 2019).…”

“…Our results show that mangroves can easily trap floating debris ≥2.5 mm size, but never for the S-sz debris. This is because it is not conducive to the deposition of micro and small-sized debris including microplastics (Deng et al, 2021).…”

“…Mangroves, as distinct woody plants in the estuaries and coastal wetlands, can provide multiple ecosystem services, including wave/tidal absorption to protect shorelines, biodiversity conservation, accelerated the degradation of pollutants, and the aesthetic appeal of mangroves (Rovai et al, 2018;Li et al, 2021). Mangroves can also play a key role in enhancing carbon storage and mitigating global climate change.…”

Pemanfaatan Ekosistem Hutan Mangrove Sebagai Habitat Untuk Biota Laut

“…Hutan mangrove yang tumbuh lebat dan tidak terkendali juga akan menimbulkan dampak negatif. Disamping itu, Pemanfaatan Ekosistem Hutan Mangrove Sebagai Habitat Untuk Biota Laut berbagai macam persoalan laut juga ditemukan seperti pembuangan sampah plastik di laut (Li et al, 2021). Pada ekosistem hutan mangrove tentu terdapat biota laut.…”

Potential of Recycle Marine Debris in Pluit Emplacement, Jakarta to Achieve Sustainable Reduction of Marine Waste Generation

“…Marine debris is solid objects with persistent properties produced or processed by humans directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally disposed of or left in the marine environment [6][7][8]. Marine debris consists of various types of plastic, cloth, foam, styrofoam, glass, ceramics, metal, paper, rubber, and wood [9][10][11]. The Coastal Area of DKI Jakarta is currently experiencing environmental pressure due to the accumulation of industrial waste, domestic waste, and other waste originating from land and sea, also experiencing pressure due to plastic waste pollution [12].…”