Beach litter sourcing: A trawl along the Northern Ireland coastline

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

卷:122

Article

Williams, A. T.^1,5  Randerson, P.²  Allen, C.³  Cooper, J. A. G.^4,6 

[1] Univ Coll Swansea, Fac Architecture Comp & Engn, Trinity St David, Swansea SA1 6ED, W Glam, Wales

[2] Cardiff Univ, Sch Biosci, Cardiff CF10 3AX, S Glam, Wales

[3] Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, Bridge House,Pailett Ave, Belfast BT5 4HD, Antrim, North Ireland

[4] Univ Ulster, Geog & Environm Sci, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Londonderry, North Ireland

[5] CICS NOVA FCSH UNL, Interdisciplinary Ctr Social Sci, P-1069061 Lisbon, Portugal

[6] Univ KwaZulu Natal, Discipline Geol, Durban, South Africa

关键词: N Ireland;    Beach litter;    Beach/strand-line surveys;    Statistical analysis;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.05.066

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Fourteen non-recreational coastal locations in Northern Ireland were investigated as to whether beach litter deposition was related to seasonal or site specific factors. Litter items were counted in 100 m width transects and 1 km strand-line surveys over a five-season period (autumn to autumn). Survey sites comprised fishing ports; estuarine areas, north (high energy) and east coast (low energy) beaches. Fishing ports accumulated the most litter. In the 100 m beach surveys, plastics, string and cord, bottle caps, food items, rope, and drink containers dominated. In strand-line surveys, large plastic pieces were dominant, followed by rope, string and cord, strapping bands (absent on beach surveys), cloth, wood (mainly pallets, fish boxes) and metal items. Multivariate analyses revealed major litter category differences between the ports and all other sites, with a lesser distinction between exposed and estuarine sites. There was no simple coastline trend and no apparent effect of seasonality between samples.

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