Habitat-forming species trap microplastics into coastal sediment sinks

The Management of Natural Coastal Carbon Sinks

Coastal hypoxia and sediment biogeochemistry

The intensity, duration and frequency of coastal hypoxia (oxygen concentration <63μM) are increasing due to human alteration of coastal ecosystems and changes in oceanographic conditions due to global warming. Here we provide a concise review of the consequences of coastal hypoxia for sediment biogeochemistry. Changes in bottomwater oxygen levels have consequences for early diagenetic pathways ...

iCOASST – INTEGRATING COASTAL SEDIMENT SYSTEMS

Coastal areas in England and Wales are at greater risk of flooding and erosion than their landward equivalents. To address these hazards, over the last 20 years, a process to develop long-term Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) has been developed (Leafe et al., 1998; Cooper et al., 2002; DEFRA, 2006). The spatial boundary of SMPs is defined by coastal cell and sub-cell boundaries (of order 10 2 ...

Sources and sinks of microplastics in Canadian Lake Ontario nearshore, tributary and beach sediments.

Microplastics contamination of Lake Ontario sediments is investigated with the aim of identifying distribution patterns and hotspots in nearshore, tributary and beach depositional environments. Microplastics are concentrated in nearshore sediments in the vicinity of urban and industrial regions. In Humber Bay and Toronto Harbour microplastic concentrations were consistently >500 particles per k...

Habitat selection and the perceptual trap.

The concept of "ecological traps" was introduced over three decades ago. An ecological trap occurs when, by various mechanisms, low-quality (yielding low fitness) habitat is more attractive than good habitat, thus coaxing individuals to settle there despite a resultant loss of fitness. Empirical work on such traps has increased dramatically in the past decade, but the converse-avoidance of high...