Microplastics in the seagrass ecosystems: A critical review

Abstract

Marine microplastic (MP) pollution represents a global environmental issue that has ignited considerable apprehension within the international community. Seagrass beds, which serve as nearshore marine ecosystems, have emerged as focal points of plastic and MP contamination due to the pronounced density of anthropogenic activities and the hydrological mitigating effects of submerged vegetation. Nevertheless, our comprehension of MPs within seagrass ecosystems remains constrained. In this study, we employed bibliometric analyses and comprehensive data exploration to summarize the historical progression of the development, pivotal areas of interest, and research deficiencies, followed by proposing future research directions for MP pollution in seagrass beds. The 37 selected papers were sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection scientific database as of December 31st, 2022. Based on the current evaluation, MPs are ubiquitously discovered within seagrass canopies, sediments, and marine organisms, while less than 15 % of seagrass species worldwide have been investigated. Moreover, methodological inconsistencies in sampling, processing and visualization between studies hindered the fusion and comparison of data. MPs in upper sediments and seagrass blades were the most widely investigated, with an average abundance of 263.4 ± 309.2 n/kg and 0.09 ± 0.03 n/blade. In all environmental compartments, the prevalent forms of MPs comprise fibrous and fragmented particles, encompassing the dominant polymers such as polypropylene, polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate. However, the source of MPs in seagrass beds based on MP characteristics and local hydrodynamics has not been comprehensively analyzed in previous studies. The evidence for MPs acting as pollutants and contaminant carries impacting the growth and decline of seagrass is also weak. Currently, the precise implications of MPs on submerged vegetation, organisms, and the broader seagrass ecosystem remain inconclusive. However, considering the persistent accumulation of MPs, it is imperative to explore the ecological hazards they may pose within the foreseeable future.