![]() Of the total debris, 88% was macroplastics larger than five centimetres. Human-derived debris was present in nearly all locations (77 reefs out of 84), including some of the planet’s most remote and pristine coral reefs, such as those adjacent to uninhabited islands in the central Pacific. The researchers used a combination of manually counting plastic debris found alongside 20m long transects, and counting debris captured in footage from diver-operated video systems, remotely operated vehicles, and manned submersibles. ![]() These included both shallow (<30m) and deeper (mesophotic or ‘twilight’ zone at 30 – 150 m depth) reefs across the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans, covering approximately 68,000 m² of coral reef area. ![]() But to date, the extent of plastic pollution trapped in the world’s coral reefs has been uncertain.įor the new study, led by the California Academy of Sciences, University of São Paulo, University of Oxford, University of Exeter, and other collaborators, the researchers carried out more than 1,200 visual surveys across 84 reef ecosystems located in 14 countries. Plastic debris is a growing threat to coral reef ecosystems, since it can accumulate throughout food chains, damage reef structures, and increase disease transmission. Credit: Luiz Rocha © California Academy of Sciences. Fishing equipment entangled on a coral reef at 100m depth.
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