Future monitoring of litter and microplastics in the Arctic—challenges, opportunities, and strategies
Creators
- Provencher, Jennifer F.1
- Aliani, Stefano2
- Bergmann, Melanie3
- Bourdages, Madelaine4
- Buhl-Mortensen, Lene5
- Galgani, Francois6
- Gomiero, Alessio7
- Granberg, Maria8
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Grøsvik, Bjørn Einar5
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Hamilton, Bonnie M.9
- Kögel, Tanja5
- Larsen, Jan Rene10
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Lusher, Amy L.11
- Mallory, Mark L.12
- Murphy, Peter13
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Peeken, Ilka14
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Primpke, Sebastian15
- Strand, Jakob16
- Vorkamp, Katrin17
- 1. Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- 2. National Research Council, Institute of Marine Sciences, La Spezia, Italy
- 3. Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, HGF-MGP Group for Deep-Sea Ecology and Technology, Bremerhaven, Germany
- 4. Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- 5. Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
- 6. Institut Français de Recherche et Exploitation des Mers (IFREMER), Plouzané, France
- 7. Norwegian Research Centre AS (NORCE), Randaberg, Norway
- 8. IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Kristineberg Marine Research Station, Kristineberg, Sweden
- 9. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
- 10. Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, Tromsø, Norway
- 11. Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, Norway
- 12. Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada
- 13. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Washington, DC, USA
- 14. Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Polar Biological Oceanography Section, Bremerhaven, Germany
- 15. Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Helgoland, Germany
- 16. Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- 17. Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Description
The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme has published a plan and guidelines for the monitoring of litter and microplastics (MP) in the Arctic. Here, we look beyond suggestions for immediate monitoring and discuss challenges, opportunities, and future strategies in the long-term monitoring of litter and MP in the Arctic. Challenges are related to environmental conditions, lack of harmonization and standardization of measurements, and long-term coordinated and harmonized data storage. Furthermore, major knowledge gaps exist with regard to benchmark levels, transport, sources, and effects, which should be considered in future monitoring strategies. Their development could build on the existing infrastructure and networks established in other monitoring initiatives in the Arctic, while taking into account specific requirements for litter and MP monitoring. Knowledge existing in northern and Indigenous communities, as well as their research priorities, should be integrated into collaborative approaches. The monitoring plan for litter and MP in the Arctic allows for an ecosystem-based approach, which will improve the understanding of linkages between environmental media of the Arctic, as well as links to the global problem of litter and MP pollution.
Files
2022-future-monitoring-of-litter-and-microplastics-in-the-arctic-challenges-opportunities-and-strategies.pdf
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