Potential interaction between plastic litter and green turtle Chelonia mydas during nesting in an extremely polluted beach. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gündoğdu, Sedat; Yeşilyurt, İrem Nur; Erbaş, Celal
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 140(2019)
• Page Start: 138
• Page End: 145
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Chelonia mydas -- Green sea turtle -- Plastic pollution -- Samandağ beach -- Levantine Sea; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.01.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: This study examines the extent of macroplastic pollution on Samandağ beach and the potential effects on green sea turtles during nesting. For this purpose, a total of 39 different turtle tracks were studied. Mean plastic concentration was found to be 19.5 ± 1.2 pcs m −2 . Among the different types of crawling, the highest concentrations of plastics were found on the tracks of turtles that did not attempt to dig nests (25.9 ± 8.4 pcs m −2 ). In total, 7 different types of plastics (disposable, film, fishing-related, foam, fragments, miscellaneous, and textile) were found, with film-type plastics being the most prevalent (11 pcs m −2 ). Samandağ beach was found to be greatly more polluted than any other beach in the Mediterranean Sea. We concluded that this pollution can cause negative effects, especially entanglement and entrapment, on green sea turtle females and hatchlings. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: Severe plastic pollution was found in all traces of green sea turtles that came to the Samandağ beach for nesting. Average plastic pollution concentration was found 19.5 ± 1.2 pcs m −2 The highest rate of plastic pollution was found on the tracks of turtles that travel onto the beach but do not try to dig nests. Extreme plastic pollution on Samandağ beach poses a very significant threat against green sea turtles.