Presenter: Emma Gjerdseth
Faculty Mentor: Kathryn Lynch, Galen Martin
Presentation Type: Oral
Primary Research Area: Science
Major: Economics, Environmental Studies
Marine pollution, with the majority originating from land based sources, poses a significant threat to species depending on marine and coastal ecosystems. By understanding the make-up of the beach debris, more effective and targeted education and awareness programs can be developed to reduce marine pollution originating from land based sources. In this study beach debris was recorded, quantified and classified, on three mostly sandy beaches in the northern Diana Region of Madagascar. At the time of study there were no published reports on debris on Malagasy beaches, thus this paper provides insight to its composition and distribution in the region. The debris was observed and classified using CSIRO transect methods and charts complimented by visual observations. CSIRO has performed similar studies before and using their methods made for easier data comparisons. The abundance of debris per square metre varied between the beaches, showing, as predicted, an increasing trend with usage, whilst plastic debris density remained relatively stable. A total of 1216 pieces of debris was recorded, with 758 pieces of plastic, distributed at an average of 0.158 pieces of debris per square metre, and 0.109 pieces of plastic per square metre. The highest total quantity of debris and plastic litter was found at Ramena followed by Ampasindava, and Baïe de Sakalava.