1. The Quest for Seafloor Macrolitter: A Critical Review of Background Knowledge, Current Methods and Future Prospects
- Author
-
Canals, Miquel, Pham, Christopher K., Bergmann, Melanie, Gutow, Lars, Hanke, Georg, van Sebille, Erik, Angiolillo, Michela, Buhl-Mortensen, Lene, Cau, Alessando, Ioakeimidis, Christos, Kammann, Ulrike, Lundsten, Lonny, Papatheodorou, George, Purser, Autun, Sanchez-Vidal, Anna, Schulz, Marcus, Vinci, Matteo, Chiba, Sanae, Galgani, François, Langenkämper, Daniel, Möller, Tiia, Nattkemper, Tim W., Ruiz, Marta, Suikkanen, Sanna, Woodall, Lucy, Fakiris, Elias, Molina Jack, Maria Eugenia, Giorgetti, Alessandra, Sub Physical Oceanography, Marine and Atmospheric Research, Sub Physical Oceanography, and Marine and Atmospheric Research
- Subjects
Marine litter ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Ocean modeling ,visual surveys ,roskaaminen ,meriensuojelu ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,meriroska ,Data harmonisation ,trawl surveys ,Environmental Science(all) ,Marine debris ,merien saastuminen ,ocean bottom ,General Environmental Science ,mittaus ,seafloor ,Environmental resource management ,Comparability ,datan harmonisointi ,syvämeri ,Visual surveys ,Seafloor spreading ,Deep sea ,deep sea ,littering ,Public Health ,meret ,mallintaminen ,marine litter ,conservation of the seas ,Baltic Sea ,Data needs ,Harmonization ,merenpohja ,seas ,Modelling ,modelling ,Trawl surveys ,Seafloor ,Ecosystem ,Renewable Energy ,14. Life underwater ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Sustainability and the Environment ,business.industry ,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment ,Environmental and Occupational Health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,15. Life on land ,marine research ,troolit ,13. Climate action ,merentutkimus ,Environmental science ,business ,data harmonisation - Abstract
The seafloor covers some 70% of the Earth’s surface and has been recognised as a major sink for marine litter. Still, litter on the seafloor is the least investigated fraction of marine litter, which is not surprising as most of it lies in the deep sea, i.e. the least explored ecosystem. Although marine litter is considered a major threat for the oceans, monitoring frameworks are still being set up. This paper reviews current knowledge and methods, identifies existing needs, and points to future developments that are required to address the estimation of seafloor macrolitter. It provides background knowledge and conveys the views and thoughts of scientific experts on seafloor marine litter offering a review of monitoring and ocean modelling techniques. Knowledge gaps that need to be tackled, data needs for modelling, and data comparability and harmonisation are also discussed. In addition, it shows how research on seafloor macrolitter can inform international protection and conservation frameworks to prioritise efforts and measures against marine litter and its deleterious impacts.
- Published
- 2021