scholarly journals Plastics in the Indian Ocean – sources, transport, distribution, and impacts

Ocean Science ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Charitha Pattiaratchi ◽  
Mirjam van der Mheen ◽  
Cathleen Schlundt ◽  
Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy ◽  
Appalanaidu Sura ◽  
...  

Abstract. Plastic debris is the most common and exponentially increasing human pollutant in the world's ocean. The distribution and impact of plastic in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans have been the subject of many publications but not so the Indian Ocean (IO). Some of the IO rim countries have the highest population densities globally and mismanagement of plastic waste is of concern in many of these rim states. Some of the most plastic-polluted rivers empty into the IO, with all this suggesting that the IO receives a tremendous amount of plastic debris each year. However, the concentration, distribution, and impacts of plastics in the IO are poorly understood as the region is under-sampled compared to other oceans. In this review, we discuss sources and sinks, which are specific to the IO. We also discuss unique atmospheric, oceanographic, and topographic features of the IO that control plastic distribution, such as reversing wind directions due to the monsoon, fronts, and upwelling regions. We identify hotspots of possible plastic accumulation in the IO, which differ between the two hemispheres. In the southern IO, plastics accumulate in a garbage patch in the subtropical gyre. However, this garbage patch is not well defined, and plastics may leak into the southern Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean. There is no subtropical gyre and associated garbage in the northern IO due to the presence of landmasses. Instead, the majority of buoyant plastics most likely end up on coastlines. Finally, we identify the vast knowledge gaps concerning plastics in the IO and point to the most pressing topics for future investigation.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charitha Pattiaratchi ◽  
Mirjam van der Mheen ◽  
Cathleen Schlundt ◽  
Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy ◽  
Appalanaidu Sura ◽  
...  

Abstract. Plastic debris are the most common and exponentially increasing human pollutant in the world's oceans. The distribution and impact of plastics in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans have been the subject of many studies but not so for the Indian Ocean (IO). Some of the IO rim countries have the highest population densities in the world and mis-management of plastic waste is of concern in many of these IO rim states. Some of the highest plastic-polluted rivers end up in the IO with all this suggesting that the IO receives a tremendous amount of plastic debris each year. However, the concentration, distribution and impacts of plastics in the IO are poorly understood as the region is under-sampled compared to other oceans. In this review, we discuss sources and sinks, which are specific for the IO as well as unique atmospheric, oceanographic and topographic features of the IO such as reversing wind directions due to the monsoon, fronts and upwelling regions that control plastic distribution. We identified hotspots of possible plastic accumulation in the IO, which were different in the two hemispheres. In the northern Indian Ocean, the majority of the plastic material will most likely end up being beached due to the absence of a sub-tropical gyre, whereas in the southern Indian Ocean, the garbage patch is not well defined and there may be leakage of plastics into the southern Atlantic Ocean. Hotspots of predicted plastic accumulations are identified here as well as the vast knowledge gaps about the plastic issue of the IO and point to the most striking future investigation topics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1013
Author(s):  
Kuo-Wei Yen ◽  
Chia-Hsiang Chen

Remote sensing (RS) technology, which can facilitate the sustainable management and development of fisheries, is easily accessible and exhibits high performance. It only requires the collection of sufficient information, establishment of databases and input of human and capital resources for analysis. However, many countries are unable to effectively ensure the sustainable development of marine fisheries due to technological limitations. The main challenge is the gap in the conditions for sustainable development between developed and developing countries. Therefore, this study applied the Web of Science database and geographic information systems to analyze the gaps in fisheries science in various countries over the past 10 years. Most studies have been conducted in the offshore marine areas of the northeastern United States of America. In addition, all research hotspots were located in the Northern Hemisphere, indicating a lack of relevant studies from the Southern Hemisphere. This study also found that research hotspots of satellite RS applications in fisheries were mainly conducted in (1) the northeastern sea area in the United States, (2) the high seas area of the North Atlantic Ocean, (3) the surrounding sea areas of France, Spain and Portugal, (4) the surrounding areas of the Indian Ocean and (5) the East China Sea, Yellow Sea and Bohai Bay sea areas to the north of Taiwan. A comparison of publications examining the three major oceans indicated that the Atlantic Ocean was the most extensively studied in terms of RS applications in fisheries, followed by the Indian Ocean, while the Pacific Ocean was less studied than the aforementioned two regions. In addition, all research hotspots were located in the Northern Hemisphere, indicating a lack of relevant studies from the Southern Hemisphere. The Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean have been the subjects of many local in-depth studies; in the Pacific Ocean, the coastal areas have been abundantly investigated, while offshore local areas have only been sporadically addressed. Collaboration and partnership constitute an efficient approach for transferring skills and technology across countries. For the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030, research networks can be expanded to mitigate the research gaps and improve the sustainability of marine fisheries resources.


1984 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Ferrar

This second Matthew Flinders Memorial Lecture, in a series sponsored jointly by the Royal Institute of Navigation and the Hydrographic Society with the cooperation of Lincolnshire and Humberside Arts was presented at the University of Hull on 11 May 1983 with Sir John Dudding, Chairman of Lincolnshire and Humberside Arts in the Chair. The first lecture, presented by Rear-Admiral G. S. Ritchie in April 1974 (Journal27, 3) on the bicentenary of the birth of Matthew Flinders, described the hydrographic work of this exploring navigator. Miss Ferrar concentrates on the graphical records of Flinders's Australian voyages.When Marco Polo made his journey to China, overland from Venice in the thirteenth century, the lands around the Pacific Ocean were wholly unknown to Europeans. But the silks and spices with which he returned sowed the seeds of the quest for a sea route to the ‘Spice Islands’ which was to be one of the mainsprings of exploration for nearly 500 years. The Spaniards crossed the Atlantic. But instead of finding themselves on the coast of Asia as they had expected they discovered the lands (and the wealth) of the Aztecs and Incas, and their explorations extended along the Pacific coasts of Central and South America from Mexico to Peru. The Portuguese found their way around southern Africa and across the Indian Ocean to South-east Asia, where they attained their objective and established a lucrative trade with the Spice Islands. Sailing ship routes depend upon the direction of prevailing winds, so the outward voyage took them eastwards from the Cape of Good Hope and then northwards to their destination. The homeward crossing of the Indian Ocean was in more northerly latitudes.


Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2667 (1) ◽  
pp. 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
SABYASACHI SAUTYA ◽  
KONSTANTIN R. TABACHNICK ◽  
BABAN INGOLE

A new species of Hyalascus is described from the submarine volcanic crater seamount of Andaman Back-arc Basin, Indian Ocean. The genus was previously known in the Pacific Ocean only.


Eos ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Reed

Despite indications that the Pacific Ocean is helping to take up the world's missing surface heat, it is not storing the heat; oceanographers now find the ocean has moved heat over to the Indian Ocean.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Domidoyo Marthinus

Nusantara adalah suatu wilayah kepulauan yang berada di antara dua benua, Asia dan Australia, sebagai benua yang berada dalam dua samudera raya yang di kenal sebagai samudera India dan samudera Pasifik. Kepulauan ini memotong ekuator dari 95 derajat sampai 141 derajat bujur timur. Penduduk pulau ini menarik perhatian berbagai masyarakat dari penjuru dunia, karena tanah subur dengan  limpahan rempah-rempah dan corak masyarakat yang akomodatif dengankecenderunganfriendly dengan kehadiran tamu. Hal ini memicu para pedagang untuk berniaga dan sekaligus bersyiar atau berdakwah. Orang India yang beragama Hindu dan Buddha menjadi orang pertama yang berlabuh untuk berdagang dan sekaligus memperkenalkanagama yang di anut. Hal ini menjadikan identitas sangat bagus untuk diperbincangkan. Sebagai pendatang dantamu di Nusantara, orang-orang India membawa segala identitas termasuk budaya dan agama. Paper ini menjelaskan cara agama dari India hidup dan besar di tengah masyarakat.[The Nusantara is an archipelago located between two continents, Asia and Australia, as a continent located in two major oceans known as the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. These islands intersect the equator from 95 degrees to 141 degrees east longitude. The inhabitants of the island attract the attention of various people from all over the world because the land is fertile with an abundance of spices and an accommodating community style with a friendly inclination to the presence of guests. It triggered the traders to trade and simultaneously spread or preach. Indians who were Hindus and Buddhists were the first to anchor to trade and at the same time introduce the religion adherence embraced. It makes identity important to talk about. As guests and guests in the archipelago, Indians carry all identities, including culture and religion. This paper explains the way religions from India live and grow in society.]


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