Plastic debris increases circadian temperature extremes in beach sediments
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Issue date
2021-05-17Subject Terms
Indian Oceanmarine debris
sediment properties
South Pacific
thermal gradient
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Plastic pollution is the focus of substantial scientific and public interest, leading many to believe the issue is well documented and managed, with effective mitigation in place. However, many aspects are poorly understood, including fundamental questions relating to the scope and severity of impacts (e.g., demographic consequences at the population level). Plastics accumulate in significant quantities on beaches globally, yet the consequences for these terrestrial environments are largely unknown. Using real world, in situ measurements of circadian thermal fluctuations of beach sediment on Henderson Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, we demonstrate that plastics increase circadian temperature extremes. Particular plastic levels were associated with increases in daily maximum temperatures of 2.45 °C and decreases of daily minimum by − 1.50 °C at 5 cm depth below the accumulated plastic. Mass of surface plastic was high on both islands (Henderson: 571 ± 197 g/m2; Cocos: 3164 ± 1989 g/m2), but did not affect thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, or moisture content of beach sediments. Therefore, we suggest plastic effects sediment temperatures by altering thermal inputs and outputs (e.g., infrared radiation absorption). The resulting circadian temperature fluctuations have potentially significant implications for terrestrial ectotherms, many of which have narrow thermal tolerance limits and are functionally important in beach habitats.Citation
Jennifer L. Lavers, Jack Rivers-Auty, Alexander L. Bond, Plastic debris increases circadian temperature extremes in beach sediments, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Volume 416, 2021, 126140, ISSN 0304-3894, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126140.Publisher
Elsevier BVJournal
Journal of Hazardous MaterialsType
Journal ArticleItem Description
Copyright © 2021, The Authors. This document is the author’s final accepted version of the journal article. You are advised to consult the published version if you wish to cite from it.NHM Repository
ISSN
0304-3894EISSN
1873-3336ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126140
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