Norén, Katja
- Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Marine litter presents a global threat to marine ecosystems, human health, and safety. Therefore, it is important to increase our knowledge about spatiotemporal trends of litter in the environment. Bottom trawl surveys provide a practical method for monitoring seafloor litter on the continental shelf, but can have severe negative impacts on the environment. Here we evaluate the potential of an ongoing underwater television survey (UWTV) to also collect litter density data, and develop model-based indices of litter densities integrating coastal and offshore trawl survey data using geostatistical models. Based on our case study along the Swedish west coast, we find that UWTV in its current format may be limited as an alternative to trawling in areas with relatively low densities. There are also clear spatial trends in litter, with the highest densities in near-shores areas currently only included in the national monitoring program. Our results illustrate the potential of combining data, but also the importance of careful sampling designing for marine litter monitoring.
Published in
PLoS ONE
2025, volume: 20, number: 6, article number: e0324900
Publisher: PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
SLU Authors
Svensson, Filip
- Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Lindmark, Max
- Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
UKÄ Subject classification
Environmental Sciences
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324900
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/143021