Plastic pollution on the world’s coral reefs

Hudson T. Pinheiro (), Chancey MacDonald, Robson G. Santos, Ramadhoine Ali, Ayesha Bobat, Benjamin J. Cresswell, Ronaldo Francini-Filho, Rui Freitas, Gemma F. Galbraith, Peter Musembi, Tyler A. Phelps, Juan P. Quimbayo, T. E. Angela L. Quiros, Bart Shepherd, Paris V. Stefanoudis, Sheena Talma, João B. Teixeira, Lucy C. Woodall and Luiz A. Rocha
Additional contact information
Hudson T. Pinheiro: California Academy of Sciences
Chancey MacDonald: California Academy of Sciences
Robson G. Santos: Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Cidade Universitária
Ramadhoine Ali: Université des Comores
Ayesha Bobat: Wildlands Conservation Trust
Benjamin J. Cresswell: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Science and Engineering James Cook University
Ronaldo Francini-Filho: University of São Paulo
Rui Freitas: Universidade Técnica do Atlântico
Gemma F. Galbraith: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Science and Engineering James Cook University
Peter Musembi: CORDIO East Africa
Tyler A. Phelps: California Academy of Sciences
Juan P. Quimbayo: University of São Paulo
T. E. Angela L. Quiros: Hokkaido University
Bart Shepherd: California Academy of Sciences
Paris V. Stefanoudis: University of Oxford
Sheena Talma: Nekton Foundation
João B. Teixeira: Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo
Lucy C. Woodall: University of Oxford
Luiz A. Rocha: California Academy of Sciences

Nature, 2023, vol. 619, issue 7969, 311-316

Abstract: Abstract Coral reefs are losing the capacity to sustain their biological functions1. In addition to other well-known stressors, such as climatic change and overfishing1, plastic pollution is an emerging threat to coral reefs, spreading throughout reef food webs2, and increasing disease transmission and structural damage to reef organisms3. Although recognized as a global concern4, the distribution and quantity of plastics trapped in the world’s coral reefs remains uncertain3. Here we survey 84 shallow and deep coral ecosystems at 25 locations across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian ocean basins for anthropogenic macrodebris (pollution by human-generated objects larger than 5 centimetres, including plastics), performing 1,231 transects. Our results show anthropogenic debris in 77 out of the 84 reefs surveyed, including in some of Earth’s most remote and near-pristine reefs, such as in uninhabited central Pacific atolls. Macroplastics represent 88% of the anthropogenic debris, and, like other debris types, peak in deeper reefs (mesophotic zones at 30–150 metres depth), with fishing activities as the main source of plastics in most areas. These findings contrast with the global pattern observed in other nearshore marine ecosystems, where macroplastic densities decrease with depth and are dominated by consumer items5. As the world moves towards a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution6, understanding its distribution and drivers provides key information to help to design the strategies needed to address this ubiquitous threat.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06113-5

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