Coastal Sites Research Articles

Seasonal air concentration variability, gas–particle partitioning, precipitation scavenging, and air–water equilibrium of organophosphate esters in southern Canada

Abstract. In response to increasing production and application volumes, organophosphate esters (OPEs) have emerged as pervasively detected contaminants in various environmental media, with concentrations often exceeding those of traditional organic contaminants. Despite the recognition of the atmosphere's important role in dispersing OPEs and a substantial number of studies quantifying OPEs in air, investigations into atmospheric phase distribution processes are rare. Using measurements of OPEs in the atmospheric gas and particle phase, in precipitation, and in surface water collected in southern Canada, we explored the seasonal concentration variability, gas–particle partitioning behaviour, precipitation scavenging, and air–water equilibrium status of OPEs. Whereas consistent seasonal trends were not observed for OPE concentrations in precipitation or atmospheric particles, gas phase concentrations of several OPEs were elevated during the summer in suburban Toronto and at two remote sites on Canada's eastern and western coast. Apparent enthalpies of air–surface exchange fell mainly within or slightly above the range of air–water and air–octanol enthalpies of exchange, indicating the influence of local air–surface exchange processes and/or seasonally variable source strength. While many OPEs were present with a notable fraction in both the gas and particle phase, no clear relationship with compound volatility was apparent, although there was a tendency for higher particle-bound fractions at a lower temperature. High precipitation scavenging ratios for OPEs measured at the two coastal sites are consistent with low air–water partitioning ratios and the association with particles. Although beset by large uncertainties, air–water equilibrium calculations suggest net deposition of gaseous OPEs from the atmosphere to the Salish Sea and the St. Lawrence River and St. Lawrence Estuary. The measured seasonal concentration variability is likely less a reflection of temperature-driven air–surface exchange and instead indicates that more OPEs enter or are formed in the atmosphere in summer. More research is needed to better understand the atmospheric gas–particle partitioning behaviour of the OPEs and how it may be influenced by transformation reactions.

Inovasi Olahan Ikan Tuna menjadi Bakso Ikan bagi Pelaku Usaha Kuliner di Pariwisata Pantai Desa Botutunuo

Gorontalo as a province that includes the Tomini Bay area, makes this area have residents who use the sea as a livelihood. Botutunuo Village as one of the nine villages located in Kabila Bone sub-district, Bone Bolango Regency, has its own attraction as a village located on the coast of the Tomini Bay area. Not only as fishermen, many culinary business actors use this coastal area as a place for beach tourism businesses. The service team saw the great potential of marine products obtained by fishermen, one of which was tuna. This community service aims to increase the income of culinary business actors, namely MSMEs who have stalls around the tourist area of Botutunuo village and share the knowledge of the service team in processing tuna into fish balls. The enthusiasm of culinary business actors in Botutunuo Village is illustrated by the attraction of the participants in listening and seeing the direct practices demonstrated by the service team. The results of this service are expected to be able to encourage increasing the income of fishermen and MSME culinary business actors in Botutunuo village to sell their goods to tourists who visit coastal tourist sites and help improve the welfare of the village community to increase their economic income.

Mapping of water spread dynamics of a tropical Ramsar wetland of India for conservation and management.

Wetlands are dynamic ecosystems vital for sustaining ecological health and development at regional and global scales. Geospatial tools have emerged as essential for managing wetland ecosystems. This study assessed the spatiotemporal dynamics of water spread in the Point Calimere Wetland, a coastal Ramsar site located along the Bay of Bengal, India, from 1984 to 2023. The analysis based on Global Surface Water Explorer (GSWE) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) derived from Landsat 5, 7, and 8 data revealed that 21% of the total wetland area showed an increasing trend. In comparison, 5.7% of the area showed a decreasing trend of surface water coverage, largely driven by erosion and climatic variability. The mean water spread increased from 119.47 km2 (2000-2003) to 160.88 km2 (2020-2023), with notable seasonal fluctuations. Among all seasons, the monsoon with the highest surge (41.1%) in water dynamics reported the largest water spread in 2020-2023 (221.87 km2). A moderate positive and negative relationship was noted between rainfall and water spread (r = 0.35) and temperature and water spread (r = - 0.43). A marked increase in habitat patches and edge density between 2000-2003 and 2020-2023 indicates the wetland's vulnerability to changing climatic conditions and the critical role of seawater intrusion, shoreline changes, and tidal forces in shaping its hydrological dynamics. The data presented on the historical water dynamics in this study is invaluable for the conservation planning and management of wetlands to support the associated coastal biodiversity and livelihood of the dependent communities.

Sector-Field–Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS) for the Determination of Toxic Metals in Microplastics from Seawater and Beach Sediments from the Barents and White Seas

The sector-field–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS) technique was applied for the quantification of toxic metals in microplastic particles (MPs) from seawater of six coastal sites from the Barents and White Seas following a microwave-assistant leaching with 30% HNO3. The mean repeatability of the method (relative standard deviation) was 1–4%, and intermediate precision averaged 4–7% for all metals. The dependence of metal content on the MPs size was also of immense consideration. The developed method can be recommended as a standard tool for accurate and precise microplastic analysis with important geochemical and environmental implications.

MAJOR INORGANIC IONS IN BULK PRECIPITATION FROM COASTAL URBAN AND MONTANE ATLANTIC FOREST SITES IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Bulk precipitation (BP) samples were collected at two coastal urban sites and two montane Atlantic Forest (400 and 1000 m altitude) areas in southeastern Brazil from August 2008 to August 2009. These samples were analyzed for the major inorganic ions (H+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl– and SO42–) found in rainwater. The concentrations of inorganic nitrogen species (NH4+, NO3– and NO2–) were compiled from a previous study. The volume-weighted mean (VWM) concentrations of inorganic ions differed spatially, with higher values at the coastal urban and coastal periurban sites. On a molar basis, Cl– and Na+ together comprised 60% of the total inorganic constituents at the coastal urban site and 34-42% at the other three sites, as it is the closest to the ocean. Magnesium was also primarily associated with sea-salt aerosol. Non-sea-salt (nss) fractions of K+, Ca2+ and SO42– comprised 68-93% of their VWM concentrations, indicating the contribution of natural (mostly biogenic) and anthropogenic (SO2 oxidation for the latter) sources. Finally, we found that the acidity of BP at the four sampling sites is primarily controlled by the NH4+, nss–Ca2+, nss–SO42–, and NO3– ions, resulting in VWM pH values ranging from 5.60 (lower montane forest) to 5.98 (coastal periurban site).

The Timing of Sea-Level Rise Impacts to Cultural Heritage Sites along the Georgia Coast, USA, through Fine-Grain Ecological Modeling

Abstract Large datasets, combined with modeling techniques, provide a quantitative way to estimate when known archaeological sites will be impacted by climatological changes. With over 4,000 archaeological sites recorded on the coast of Georgia, USA, the state provides an ideal opportunity to compare methods. Here, we compare the popular passive “bathtub” modeling with the dynamic Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) combined with the Marshes Equilibrium Model (MEM). The goal of this effort is to evaluate prior modeling and test the benefits of more detailed ecological modeling in assessing site loss. Our findings indicate that although rough counts of archaeological sites destroyed by sea-level rise (SLR) are similar in all approaches, using the latter two methods provides critical information needed in prioritizing site studies and documentation before irrevocable damages occur. Our results indicate that within the next 80 years, approximately 40% of Georgia's coastal sites will undergo a loss of archaeological context due to wetlands shifting from dry ecological zones to transitional marshlands or submerged estuaries and swamps.

Characterization and Genetic analysis of Actinomycetes from Mangrove and Coastal Environments: Enzyme Production, Dye Degradation and Antibiotic Resistance

ABSTRACT: Actinomycetes from mangrove and coastal environments were studied for their potential in biotechnology and environmental management. This research aimed to isolate and characterize these microbes, focusing on enzyme production, dye degradation, and antibiotic resistance. Samples were collected from various mangrove and coastal sites. Actinomycetes were isolated using selective media and identified through morphological and biochemical tests. Genetic characterization was performed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Enzyme production was evaluated through specific proteases, lipases, and cellulase assays. Dye degradation studies involved incubating actinomycetes with synthetic dyes and measuring degradation efficiency using spectrophotometric methods. Antibiotic resistance was assessed using disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test. The study focused on isolating a variety of Actinomycetes from mangrove and coastal environments, assessing their potential for enzyme production and dye degradation.

Photogrammetric data analysis for fortified architecture. Survey of currently disused structures

Abstract. The research presents the results of the analysis of coastal cities in Albania, characterised by military bunkers for defensive purposes. The work is divided into an analysis of the researched territories, two-dimensional surveys of the bunkers and their classification into XS, S, M, L, XL with regard to their size, and an applicative conclusion of digital technologies for digital modelling and graphic visualisation of the spaces. These architectures are located along the coastline on steep slopes or, at this time, in the private gardens of summer residences, and this location has greatly influenced the survey campaigns, determining the state of the sites, often in a state of complete abandonment. Some underground structures, such as the one located in the bay of Porto Palermo, are currently in use by the navy for the safekeeping of ships and their maintenance. The final task of the research work is to propose a graphic knowledge of the coastal sites between Vlora and Saranda, which have been the subject of uncontrolled construction of buildings for seaside tourism in the last decade, documenting the state of the sites of defence architecture.

Modeling the Influence of Coastal Site Characteristics on PFAS in Situ Remediation.

The potential performance of a hypothetical colloidal-activated carbon (CAC) in situ remedy for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in groundwater in coastal zones was evaluated using estimated hydrogeologic and geochemical parameters for a coastal site in the United States. With these parameters, a reactive transport model (ISR-MT3DMS) was used to assess the effects of tidal fluctuations and near-shore geochemistry on CAC performance. The average near-shore ionic strength of 84 mM at the site was conservatively estimated to result in an increase in the adsorption of PFOA to CAC by about 50% relative to non-coastal sites with ionic strength <10 mM. The modeling also confirmed the hypothesis that tidally induced groundwater flow reversals near the shore would result in the accumulation of PFOA at the downgradient edge of the CAC zone. Slow desorption of PFOA from this downgradient CAC boundary may sustain downgradient plume concentrations above a strict cleanup criterion (e.g., USEPA MCL of 0.004 μg/L), for decades; however, there was still a large PFOA mass flux reduction (>99.9%) achieved after several decades at the shore. CAC longevity was substantially greater for PFOS with a similar source concentration; however, the higher PFOS distribution coefficient (Kd) in soil downgradient from the CAC zone resulted in substantially longer flushing times. It is recommended that short-term remedial action objectives for CAC remedies at coastal sites be based on mass flux reduction targets over a period of several decades, given the demonstrated challenges in trying to achieve very low cleanup criteria downgradient of a CAC zone in the short term.

Tolas, fish traps and radiocarbon dating: The spatial characterization of the Manteño site of Ligüiqui in Ecuador and its contextualization within the chronological framework of other pre-Hispanic cultures

Abstract Ecuador is a key area in South America when it comes to understanding the economic, social and archaeological aspects of pre-Hispanic cultures in the northwestern region of the Andes. Among the most complex societies to have inhabited this territory is the so-called Manteño culture (AD ∼800–1530), which spanned across most of Ecuador’s central Pacific coast. Ongoing research at the site of Ligüiqui (Manta, Manabí) has enabled us to obtain a more complete overview of the chronological sequence of the Manteño period as well as contributing further data on the advanced stage of social development reached during the period; characterized by the hierarchical arrangement of sites, the use of extensive settlement models, and semi-circular stone fish traps (corrales). In order to understand the role played by this coastal site in the complex Manteño culture, a detailed radiocarbon study was performed in the sequence of the Ligüiqui site. In addition, using a detailed review of available Manteño settlement radiocarbon data (13 sites and 64 dates), we established a chronostratigraphic framework for the culture. Our data indicate that Ligüiqui probably acted as a supply centre for marine-origin products from the twelfth century onwards with activity peaking during the Late Manteño period. A multisite comparison using Bayesian modeling indicates an early onset of the Manteño culture in Ligüiqui around AD 700, and a general demise in most of the sites AD ∼1500 or slightly before. This culture finally collapsed before AD ∼1600 during the early Spanish colonial period. Only one site, La Libertad, shows potential evidence of having remained a Manteño settlement after that date.

Observed Climatology and Formation Mechanisms of Sea Fog Along the Trans‐Arctic Shipping Routes

AbstractAs Arctic sea ice rapidly melts, trans‐Arctic shipping routes are emerging with significant economic value and potentially reshaping global shipping patterns. The safety of ships navigating along these routes will be severely threatened by low visibility caused by Arctic sea fog. Here, we utilize ship and coastal site observations spanning 1979–2023 to investigate the climatological features and mechanisms of Arctic sea fog from June to September. We find that the Northern Sea Route (NSR, along the Russian coast) experiences a mean fog frequency of 20.0%, significantly higher than the 11.5% fog frequency observed along the Northwest Passage (NWP, along the Canadian coast). Fog frequency shows null correlation with sea ice but a strong negative correlation (−0.80) with surface air temperature. The lower mean surface air temperature in the NSR region enhances relative humidity and atmospheric stability, which are conducive to fog formation and maintenance. We further reveal that fog formation mechanisms differ between the NSR and NWP. Along the NSR, fog is usually advection fog, associated with upper boundary layer warming and moistening; in contrast, along the NWP, fog is typically radiation fog linked to near‐surface cooling. Our study highlights the distinct fog frequency and dominant mechanisms along the different trans‐Arctic shipping routes, thereby establishing observed reference for the model validation of simulating Arctic sea fog.

Evaluation of twelve algorithms to estimate suspended particulate matter from OLCI over contrasted coastal waters

Remote sensing of suspended particulate matter (SPM) is crucial for water-quality monitoring, as it influences turbidity, light availability, or nutrient transport. This study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of twelve common and well-used SPM models for the Ocean and Land Color Instrument (OLCI) on-board Sentinel-3 satellite, based on different methods and assumptions, including estimation from water-leaving reflectance or proxies, a combination of semi-analytical equations, and machine learning algorithms. The models are tested in three stages: 1) performance assessment on in-situ measurements, 2) matchup exercise with OLCI and 3) visual assessment of satellite SPM products. The models are first tested on the GLORIA dataset (n = 767, 0.21 g.m−3 &lt;SPM &lt;2,626.82 g.m−3). The matchup analysis is then conducted in French coastal waters using the SOMLIT dataset (n = 71, 0.2 g.m−3 &lt;SPM &lt;722 g.m−3), based on the standard OLCI L2 remote sensing reflectance product. Finally, the visual assessment of the SPM maps provided by the twelve models is conducted for two French coastal sites. Results show that the algorithms proposed by Jiang et al. [ Remote. Sens. Environ. 258, 112386 (2021)10.1016/j.rse.2021.112386 ] and Novoa et al. [ Remote. Sens. 9, 61 (2017)10.3390/rs9010061 ] exhibit the highest score and the most accurate retrievals when compared to in-situ measurements. However, the matchup exercise shows that the method from Jiang et al. demonstrates more overall accurate SPM retrievals (Error = 49.85%, Bias = 0.55%, RMSLE = 0.35, Slope = 1.06). The visual assessment of SPM maps reveals that this model displays a larger dynamic range, making it suitable for applications in regions with a wide range of SPM concentrations. The sensitivity of these models to the atmospheric correction procedure is further explored. When all OLCI spectra are taken into account for the matchup exercise, the performance of the algorithms from Han et al. [ Remote. Sens. 8, 211 (2016)10.3390/rs8030211 ] improve, relative to the other one. Finally, the standard OLCI SPM product is evaluated, and the advantages of using the OLCI standard product over the MODIS one for studying coastal waters are discussed.

Dual Role of Aerosols on Reactive Bromine Recycling in Extrapolar Marine and Continental Regions

AbstractReactive bromine species play important roles in atmospheric chemistry and influence the abundance of climate‐ and air quality‐relevant trace gases. While extensive studies have focused on bromine chemistry in polar regions, the bromine species in extrapolar regions, particularly regarding pollution‐related bromine recycling, have received less attention. In this study, we examine the factors influencing the bromine recycling at a clean marine site of the North Atlantic (Cape Verde, CVAO), a semipolluted coastal site of the South China Sea (Hok Tsui, HT), and a polluted continental site of North China (Wangdu, WD), using an observation‐based model combined with updated halogen chemistry. Our results indicate that aerosol‐related multiphase processes significantly affect bromine recycling in these extrapolar sites. Nitrate photodissociation efficiently recycled bromide into the gas phase in regions characterized by strong aerosol acidity (HT) or high aerosol concentrations (WD). Concurrently, bromine species are lost from the gas phase toward aerosol surfaces, with this process being more effective at higher liquid water content (WD &gt; HT &gt; CVAO). In semipolluted and polluted sites, the aerosol‐related processes resulted in elevated bromine levels in the daytime compared to nighttime, leading to larger effects of bromine species on ozone than previously thought. Our study suggests the need for a better understanding of the complex effects of aerosols on reactive halogen chemistry.

Nitrogen, sulfur, iron, and microbial communities co-shape the seasonal biogeochemical behaviors of As and Sb in coastal tidal flat wetlands associated with rivers

Arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) are affected by complex biogeochemical processes in coastal ecosystems. However, the influence of N, S, Fe, and microbial communities on the biogeochemistry of As and Sb in coastal tidal flat wetlands remain uncertain, particularly when rivers flow into these areas. This study combined diffusive gradients in the thin-film technique with high-throughput sequencing to investigate the release and vertical distribution of As and Sb in river and coastal tidal flat wetland sediments. The results indicated a distinct stratification phenomenon in the As release at depths ranging from 20 mm to −150 mm. At river sites, the release of As occurred in the upper layer (above −40 mm), with peak values of 4.3 and 9.3 μg/L at HS and SY sites in summer, respectively, likely due to anaerobic ammonium oxidation. In the lower layer (below −40 mm), both As and Sb were released, and this was possibly due to Fe reduction. However, at the coastal tidal flat sites, the release of As and Sb may have been driven by anaerobic ammonium oxidation, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, sulfate reduction, and Fe reduction. At the river sites, As exhibited increased activity during the summer, and the residual forms were converted more easily into mobile forms. Sb remained relatively stable during both winter and summer. Conversely, both As and Sb primarily existed in residual forms and exhibited higher stability during summer in the coastal tidal flat sites. The microbial phyla Nitrospirota (3.6−7.0 %) and Acidobacteriota (9.5−10.2 %) were more prevalent at the river sites, whereas Desulfobacterota (8.8−12.0 %) and Firmicutes (0.13−27.9 %) were more prevalent at the coastal tidal flat sites. The bacterial genera involved in the N, S, and Fe transformation processes differed between the two sites, and they were primarily Thiobacillus, Limnobacter, and Sulfurovum at the river sites and Sva1033, Anaeromyxobacter, and Sva0485 at the coastal tidal flat sites. In this study, the microorganisms that mediated N, S, and Fe complex processes at various depths in the sediment–water interface were decoupled to elucidate the effect of these processes on the biogeochemical behavior of As and Sb as they move from rivers to coastal tidal flat wetlands.

First molecular report of the Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5 Scutavirus chelonidalpha5) in a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) with fibropapillomatosis in the southwest Gulf of Mexico

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is an emerging neoplastic disease associated with chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5; Scutavirus chelonidalpha 5) that affects all species of marine turtles worldwide, mainly green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at coastal feeding sites. This report describes the case of a juvenile green turtle stranded alive on the coast of Veracruz, Mexico that presented 41 lesions suggestive of FP distributed on the eyes, neck, front flippers, axillary/inguinal regions and plastron. Morphologically, the lesions varied in size, shape and appearance of the surface. A tumour was collected and analysed by histopathology revealing a benign neoplasm with fibropapilloma characteristics (dermal and epidermal proliferation) and cytopathic effects consistent with herpesvirus infection, such as ballooning, reticular, and vacuolar degeneration, cell necrosis, eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies, and inflammatory cell infiltration. The tumour tested positive for ChHV5 through conventional PCR targeting the UL30, UL18, UL22, and UL27 genes. Phylogenetic analysis of the DNA Polymerase (UL30) placed the Veracruz variant in the Western Atlantic/Eastern Caribbean cluster along with sequences from Florida, Colombia, Barbados, and Brazil. Additional identification of the CMA1.1 DNA mitochondrial haplotype for this individual supports the connectivity between green turtles from the northern and southern regions of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and the Caribbean. It also suggests a potential risk route for ChHV5 infection. This report details the first case of FP linked to ChHV5 in Veracruz and the southwestern GoM. Further research on FP and ChHV5 in these areas is crucial due to their role as habitats for five sea turtle species across various life stages.

Coastal sea level rise at altimetry-based virtual stations in the Gulf of Mexico

A dedicated reprocessing of satellite altimetry data from the Jason-1/2/3 missions in the world coastal zones provides a large set of virtual coastal stations where sea level time series and associated trends over 2002-2021 can be estimated. In the Gulf of Mexico, we obtain a set of 32 virtual coastal sites, well distributed along the Gulf coastlines, completing the tide gauge network with long-term data that is currently limited to the northern part of the Gulf. Altimetry-based coastal sea level time series and associated sea level trends confirm previous published results that report a strong acceleration in tide-gauge based sea level rise along the US coast of the Gulf of Mexico since the early 2010s. In addition, our study shows that this acceleration also takes place along the western and southern coasts of the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal sea level trends estimated over 2012-2021 amounts to ∼10 mm/yr at most virtual stations. We note a slightly smaller rise on the western coast of Florida and at two sites of the Cuba Island. Good agreement in terms of sea level trends over 2002-2021 is found between coastal altimetry data and tide-gauge record corrected for vertical land motion. Good correlation is also found between coastal altimetry and tide gauge sea level time series at low-frequency time scales, with interannual fluctuations in sea level being indirectly linked to natural climate modes, in particular the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

Augmentation of fine-mode anthropogenic aerosols over a tropical coastal site in India adjoining Eastern Arabian Sea: Potential sources and direct radiative effects

Augmentation of fine-mode anthropogenic aerosols over a tropical coastal site in India adjoining Eastern Arabian Sea: Potential sources and direct radiative effects

Genomics identifies koala populations at risk across eastern Australia.

Koalas are an iconic, endangered, Australian marsupial. Disease, habitat destruction, and catastrophic mega-fires have reduced koalas to remnant patches of their former range. With increased likelihood of extreme weather events and ongoing habitat clearing across Australia, koala populations are vulnerable to further declines and isolation. Small, isolated populations are considered at risk when there is increased inbreeding, erosion of genomic diversity, and loss of adaptive potential, all of which reduce their ability to respond to prevailing threats. Here, we characterized the current genomic landscape of koalas using data from The Koala Genome Survey, a joint initiative between the Australian Federal and New South Wales Governments that aimed to provide a future-proofed baseline genomic dataset across the koala's range in eastern Australia. We identified several regions of the continent where koalas have low genomic diversity and high inbreeding, as measured by runs of homozygosity. These populations included coastal sites along southeast Queensland and northern and mid-coast New South Wales, as well as southern New South Wales and Victoria. Analysis of genomic vulnerability to future climates revealed that northern koala populations were more at risk due to the extreme expected changes in this region, but that the adaptation required was minimal compared with other species. Our genomic analyses indicate that continued development, particularly linear infrastructure along coastal sites, and resultant habitat destruction are causing isolation and subsequent genomic erosion across many koala populations. Habitat protection and the formation of corridors must be employed for all koala populations to maintain current levels of diversity. For highly isolated koala populations, active management may be the only way to improve genomic diversity in the short term. If koalas are to be conserved for future generations, reversing their genomic isolation must be a priority in conservation planning.

Post-nesting migrations of green turtles from Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles: satellite tracking, flipper tag returns and marine protected areas

To effectively implement protective measures for migratory species such as marine turtles, knowledge of their breeding grounds, foraging areas, migratory pathways and possible threats encountered is required. Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Seychelles, hosts and protects one of the largest nesting populations of green turtles Chelonia mydas in the Western Indian Ocean. We satellite tracked 21 post-nesting green turtles during 2011-2014 (n = 8) and in 2022 (n = 13). Nineteen turtles were tracked beyond Aldabra and took 8-49 d to reach their final recorded locations, travelling 743-2552 km along distinct routes, each taking a unique path to widely dispersed coastal sites in Tanzania, Madagascar, Somalia, Kenya, Mozambique and Seychelles, highlighting the connectivity of the region through one large rookery. When compared to the locations of 54 international flipper tag returns from Aldabra females recorded since the 1980s, there was consistency in the use of Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia and Madagascar as foraging destination countries for Aldabra turtles. However, satellite tracking expanded the countries used as foraging sites to include Seychelles and elevated the relative importance of remote sites for which fishermen were unlikely to report intercepted flipper tags—especially Somalia, northern Madagascar and distant offshore foraging habitat within Seychelles. The end points for &gt;40% of the turtles were within or nearby marine protected areas (MPAs) in Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania and Seychelles, 5 (26.3%) within MPAs and 3 (15.8%) &lt;25 km away from MPAs. Eleven (57.9%) turtles travelled through MPAs after leaving the Aldabra protected zone. There is further opportunity to increase the protection and connectivity of foraging areas by expanding existing MPAs. Identifying foraging hot spots within the region by pooling data from other important breeding grounds should be a priority to focus conservation efforts on migratory corridors and the status and state of those foraging areas.

Effect of inappropriate solid waste on microplastic contamination in Balasore district and its aquatic environment

BackgroundMicroplastic infection is now one of the world’s key environmental concerns. The most significant causes of microplastic contamination in aquatic ecosystems are coastal villages, coastal landfill sites, shipping activities and coastal dumping areas. Microplastic ingestion has been described in an inclusive assortment of aquatic ecosystems from different trophic levels. This paper provides scientific evidence of microplastic contamination in solid waste from various coastal sites in the Balasore district.ResultsThe coastal village environment is composite sand soils and comprises numerous contaminants that have substantial effects on the detection of characterization results. Significant differences in the results of ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy determine many pollutants that are possibly affected by different aspects, including sampling and instrumental settings. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) has been applied for the first time to the detection of microplastic content in solid wastes. In comparison with other techniques like Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, it allows the detection of smaller microparticles. Microplastics in the solid wastes occur at variable size from nm to µm and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy with Fourier transform infrared techniques are suitable for screening. In addition, gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) is becoming a valuable component of analytical platforms for monitoring plastic content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging also detects different shapes of microplastics in solid wastes.ConclusionsOur study offers fresh perspectives on critical environmental areas for further research as well as how rural populations worldwide should be involved in the future studies on plastic pollution. The presence of microplastics in solid waste has led to increased scrutiny and calls for regulation. Governments and organizations are exploring policies to reduce plastic waste and mitigate its impacts on the environment and human health.