Plasticlusters: A marine litter microhabitat in a marina of Tunisia, N Africa

Plastic debris is a significant and rapidly developing ecological issue in coastal marine ecosystems, especially in areas where it accumulates. This study introduces “plasticlusters”, a new form of floating debris agglomeration found in the Yasmine Hammamet marina (Tunisia, North-Africa), loosely at...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2024-05, Vol.202, p.116389-116389, Article 116389
Main Authors: Sempere-Valverde, Juan, Saenz-Arias, Pablo, Martynova, Anastasiia, Benzarti, Ons, Bouhlel, Ramla, de la Cuadra, Carlos María López Fe, Guerra-García, José Manuel, Chebaane, Sahar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Artificial habitat
Ecosystem
Environmental Monitoring
Floating substrata
Marinas
Non-indigenous species
Plastic debris
Plastics - analysis
Tunisia
Waste Products - analysis
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Summary:Plastic debris is a significant and rapidly developing ecological issue in coastal marine ecosystems, especially in areas where it accumulates. This study introduces “plasticlusters”, a new form of floating debris agglomeration found in the Yasmine Hammamet marina (Tunisia, North-Africa), loosely attached to pontoon ropes around the water surface level. The analysis of two samples revealed that they were formed primarily by average 2.11 mm polystyrene fragments, 3.43 mm fibers, 104 mm polypropylene and polyethylene sheets, and 122 mm decomposing seagrass leaves. They were inhabited by several taxa, including at least 2 cryptogenic and 5 non-indigenous species (NIS). Unlike other plastic formations, plasticlusters provide a novel and potentially temporal microhabitat to fouling assemblages due to their loose and unconsolidated structure which, combined with marinas being NIS hubs, could enhance NIS dispersion. The results of this study raise concerns about the combined ecological effects of debris accumulation and biocontamination inside marinas. [Display omitted] •A loose aggregation of debris, plasticlusters, is described from a marina.•They are complex structures that serve as habitat for fouling organisms.•Plasticlusters hosted cryptogenic and non-indigenous sessile and motile species.•Buoyancy and low consolidation make them prone to disaggregate.•The role of plasticlusters as NIS habitat and vectors needs further investigation.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116389