Zuniga-Lopez Zara, Erdle Lisa M, Fulfer Victoria M, Flores Luis, Brady Gisselle, Vermaire Jesse C
Dept. of Geography and Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Ontario, Canada; Bay Islands Conservation Association, Sandy Bay, Roatan 34101, Bay Islands, Honduras.
The 5 Gyres Institute, PO Box 5699, Santa Monica 90409, CA, United States.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2025 Dec;221:118508. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118508. Epub 2025 Jul 29.
Mangrove forests in insular regions are increasingly exposed to marine litter, even within designated protected areas. These ecosystems provide key ecological services but remain vulnerable to pollution via solid waste accumulation. Caribbean mangroves, in particular, are underrepresented in global assessments. This study provides the first baseline of macrolitter accumulation in mangroves on Roatán Island, within the Bay Islands National Marine Park, Honduras. We assessed: (1) the abundance and composition of macrolitter (≥5 cm) across four mangrove sites; (2) potential sources of macroplastics through brand and country-of-origin analysis of labeled items; and (3) the composition of litter ingested by an American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) found near one site. A total of 3417 litter items were collected across 20 quadrats, with an average concentration of 6.83 items m. Plastics dominated the litter, making up 98.7 % of all items. Only 2.4 % items had legible labels, most originating from Honduras and Guatemala. Among the subset of bottles with visible dates, the average age was 7 years, suggesting long-term retention within the mangrove environment. The deceased C. acutus found near one of the sites had ingested 62 litter items. A Principal Component Analysis revealed that the composition of ingested materials closely matched the litter profile of the nearby sampling site, indicating likely local exposure. These findings confirm that mangroves act as long-term sinks for plastic and highlight risks to mangrove fauna. The presence of banned and foreign-sourced litter underscores poor enforcement and transboundary pollution. Coordinated regional policies, improved waste management, and targeted cleanup in protected ecosystems are urgently needed.
岛屿地区的红树林越来越多地受到海洋垃圾的影响，即使是在指定的保护区内也是如此。这些生态系统提供关键的生态服务，但仍因固体废物堆积而容易受到污染。特别是加勒比地区的红树林，在全球评估中的代表性不足。本研究提供了洪都拉斯湾群岛国家海洋公园内罗阿坦岛红树林中大型垃圾堆积的首个基线数据。我们评估了：（1）四个红树林地点大型垃圾（≥5厘米）的丰度和组成；（2）通过对有标签物品的品牌和原产国分析确定宏观塑料的潜在来源；（3）在一个地点附近发现的一只美洲鳄（Crocodylus acutus）摄入的垃圾组成。在20个样方中共收集到3417件垃圾，平均浓度为每平方米6.83件。塑料在垃圾中占主导地位，占所有物品的98.7%。只有2.4%的物品有清晰可读的标签，大部分来自洪都拉斯和危地马拉。在有可见日期的瓶子子集中，平均使用年限为7年，表明这些瓶子在红树林环境中留存时间较长。在其中一个地点附近发现的死亡美洲鳄摄入了62件垃圾。主成分分析表明，摄入物质的组成与附近采样点的垃圾概况密切匹配，表明可能是在当地接触到的。这些发现证实红树林是塑料的长期储存地，并突出了对红树林动物群的风险。违禁和外国来源垃圾的存在凸显了执法不力和跨境污染问题。迫切需要协调区域政策、改善废物管理并在受保护的生态系统中进行有针对性的清理。
