Plastic debris in lakes and reservoirs

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dc.contributor.authorNava, V.
dc.contributor.authorChandra, S.
dc.contributor.authorAherne, J.
dc.contributor.authorAlfonso, M.B.
dc.contributor.authorAntão-Geraldes, A.M.
dc.contributor.authorAttermeyer, K.
dc.contributor.authorBao, R.
dc.contributor.authorBartrons, M.
dc.contributor.authorBerger, S.A.
dc.contributor.authorBiernaczyk, M.
dc.contributor.authorBissen, R.
dc.contributor.authorBrookes, J.D.
dc.contributor.authorBrown, D.
dc.contributor.authorCañedo-Argüelles, M.
dc.contributor.authorCanle, M.
dc.contributor.authorCapelli, C.
dc.contributor.authorCarballeira, R.
dc.contributor.authorCereijo, J.L.
dc.contributor.authorChawchai, S.
dc.contributor.authorChristensen, S.T.
dc.contributor.authoret al.
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.abstractPlastic debris is thought to be widespread in freshwater ecosystems globally(1). However, a lack of comprehensive and comparable data makes rigorous assessment of its distribution challenging(2,3). Here we present a standardized cross-national survey that assesses the abundance and type of plastic debris (>250 μm) in freshwater ecosystems. We sample surface waters of 38 lakes and reservoirs, distributed across gradients of geographical position and limnological attributes, with the aim to identify factors associated with an increased observation of plastics. We find plastic debris in all studied lakes and reservoirs, suggesting that these ecosystems play a key role in the plastic-pollution cycle. Our results indicate that two types of lakes are particularly vulnerable to plastic contamination: lakes and reservoirs in densely populated and urbanized areas and large lakes and reservoirs with elevated deposition areas, long water-retention times and high levels of anthropogenic influence. Plastic concentrations vary widely among lakes; in the most polluted, concentrations reach or even exceed those reported in the subtropical oceanic gyres, marine areas collecting large amounts of debris(4). Our findings highlight the importance of including lakes and reservoirs when addressing plastic pollution, in the context of pollution management and for the continued provision of lake ecosystem services.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityVeronica Nava, Sudeep Chandra, Julian Aherne, María B. Alfonso, Ana M. Antão-Geraldes, Katrin Attermeyer, Roberto Bao, Mireia Bartrons, Stella A. Berger, Marcin Biernaczyk, Raphael Bissen, Justin D. Brookes, David Brown, Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles, Moisés Canle, Camilla Capelli, Rafael Carballeira, José Luis Cereijo, Sakonvan Chawchai, Søren T. Christensen, Kirsten S. Christoffersen, Elvira de Eyto, Jorge Delgado, Tyler N. Dornan, Jonathan P. Doubek, Julia Dusaucy, Oxana Erina, Zeynep Ersoy, Heidrun Feuchtmayr, Maria Luce Frezzotti, Silvia Galafassi, David Gateuille, Vitor Gonçalves, Hans-Peter Grossart, David P. Hamilton, Ted D. Harris, Külli Kangur, Gökben Başaran Kankılıç, Rebecca Kessler, Christine Kiel, Edward M. Krynak, Àngels Leiva-Presa, Fabio Lepori, Miguel G. Matias, Shin-ichiro S. Matsuzaki, Yvonne McElarney, Beata Messyasz, Mark Mitchell, Musa C. Mlambo, Samuel N. Motitsoe, Sarma Nandini, Valentina Orlandi, Caroline Owens, Deniz Özkundakci, Solvig Pinnow, Agnieszka Pociecha, Pedro Miguel Raposeiro, Eva-Ingrid Rõõm, Federica Rotta, Nico Salmaso, S. S. S. Sarma, Davide Sartirana, Facundo Scordo, Claver Sibomana, Daniel Siewert, Katarzyna Stepanowska, Ülkü Nihan Tavşanoğlu, Maria Tereshina, James Thompson, Monica Tolotti, Amanda Valois, Piet Verburg, Brittany Welsh, Brian Wesolek, Gesa A. Weyhenmeyer, Naicheng Wu, Edyta Zawisza, Lauren Zink, Barbara Leoni
dc.identifier.citationNature, 2023; 619(7969):317-322
dc.identifier.doi10.1038/s41586-023-06168-4
dc.identifier.issn0028-0836
dc.identifier.issn1476-4687
dc.identifier.orcidBrookes, J.D. [0000-0001-8408-9142]
dc.identifier.orcidDornan, T.N. [0000-0002-4998-7577]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/140954
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP190101848
dc.rights© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2023.
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06168-4
dc.subjectEcosystem; water pollution
dc.subject.meshPlastics
dc.subject.meshEcosystem
dc.subject.meshWater Pollution
dc.subject.meshWater Supply
dc.subject.meshUrbanization
dc.subject.meshHuman Activities
dc.subject.meshLakes
dc.subject.meshSurveys and Questionnaires
dc.titlePlastic debris in lakes and reservoirs
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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