scholarly journals Distribution and biological implications of plastic pollution on the fringing reef of Mo’orea, French Polynesia

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Connors
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
The South ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Fringing Reef ◽  
Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽  
Oceanic Gyres ◽  
First Time ◽  
Negatively Buoyant

Coral reef ecosystems of the South Pacific are extremely vulnerable to plastic pollution from oceanic gyres and land-based sources. To describe the extent and impact of plastic pollution, the distribution of both macro- (>5 mm) and microplastic (plastic < 5 mm) of the fringing reef of an isolated South Pacific island, Mo’orea, French Polynesia was quantified. Macroplastic was found on every beach on the island that was surveyed. The distribution of this plastic was categorized by site type and by the presence of Turbinaria ornata, a common macroalgae on Mo’orea. Microplastics were discovered in the water column of the fringing reef of the island, at a concentration of 0.74 pieces m−2. Additionally, this study reports for the first time the ingestion of microplastic by the corallimorpha Discosoma nummiforme. Microplastics were made available to corallimorph polyps in a laboratory setting over the course of 108 h. Positively and negatively buoyant microplastics were ingested, and a microplastic particle that was not experimentally introduced was also discovered in the stomach cavity of one organism. This study indicates that plastic pollution has the potential to negatively impact coral reef ecosystems of the South Pacific, and warrants further study to explore the broader potential impacts of plastic pollution on coral reef ecosystems.

scholarly journals Distribution and biological implications of plastic pollution on the fringing reef of Mo’orea, French Polynesia

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Janice Connors
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Soft Coral ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Reef Environment ◽  
Fringing Reef ◽  
Coral Reef Environment ◽  
Time Frames ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

Plastic pollution has been recognized as a major pollutant of the open ocean, but the extent and impact of plastic pollution on the coral reef environment has yet to be fully understood. In this study, the distribution of both macro- (>5mm) and micro- plastic (<5mm) of a typical coral reef ecosystem— the fringing reef of an isolated South Pacific island, Mo’orea, French Polynesia—was quantified. During the course of the study, macroplastic was found on every beach on the island, and distribution of plastic was categorized by site type and the presence of Turbinaria oranata, a common macroalgae of Mo’orea. Microplastic (plastic pieces <5mm) was found in the water column of the fringing reef of the island, at a concentration of 0.74 plastic pieces per square meter. To test the impact on coral reef organisms of the plastic pollution found in the fringing reef, microplastic was exposed to a species of soft coral, Discosoma spp.in a laboratory setting. The resilience of Discosoma spp.in fluctuating temperatures and rising CO2 levels is well understood, but the effect of plastic pollution on Discosoma spp. and other corallimorphs has never before been analyzed. This study reports for the first time the ingestion of microplastic by the soft coral Discosoma spp. Positively buoyant and negatively buoyant microplastic were both ingested over different time frames. In addition, wild (not experimentally introduced) microplastic was found in the stomach cavity of the organism. These findings indicate that plastic debris are being ingested by Discosoma spp. and may impair the health of this prevalent coral reef organism.

scholarly journals Distribution and biological implications of plastic pollution on the fringing reef of Mo’orea, French Polynesia

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Janice Connors
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Soft Coral ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Reef Environment ◽  
Fringing Reef ◽  
Coral Reef Environment ◽  
Time Frames ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

Plastic pollution has been recognized as a major pollutant of the open ocean, but the extent and impact of plastic pollution on the coral reef environment has yet to be fully understood. In this study, the distribution of both macro- (>5mm) and micro- plastic (<5mm) of a typical coral reef ecosystem— the fringing reef of an isolated South Pacific island, Mo’orea, French Polynesia—was quantified. During the course of the study, macroplastic was found on every beach on the island, and distribution of plastic was categorized by site type and the presence of Turbinaria oranata, a common macroalgae of Mo’orea. Microplastic (plastic pieces <5mm) was found in the water column of the fringing reef of the island, at a concentration of 0.74 plastic pieces per square meter. To test the impact on coral reef organisms of the plastic pollution found in the fringing reef, microplastic was exposed to a species of soft coral, Discosoma spp.in a laboratory setting. The resilience of Discosoma spp.in fluctuating temperatures and rising CO2 levels is well understood, but the effect of plastic pollution on Discosoma spp. and other corallimorphs has never before been analyzed. This study reports for the first time the ingestion of microplastic by the soft coral Discosoma spp. Positively buoyant and negatively buoyant microplastic were both ingested over different time frames. In addition, wild (not experimentally introduced) microplastic was found in the stomach cavity of the organism. These findings indicate that plastic debris are being ingested by Discosoma spp. and may impair the health of this prevalent coral reef organism.

scholarly journals Coral reef ecosystems in the South China Sea as a source of atmospheric CO2 in summer

2011 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 676-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
HongQiang Yan ◽  
KeFu Yu ◽  
Qi Shi ◽  
YeHui Tan ◽  
HuiLing Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
South China Sea ◽  
South China ◽  
The South China Sea ◽  
Atmospheric Co2 ◽  
The South ◽  
China Sea ◽  
Coral Reef Ecosystems

New species of the genus Paravibrissina Shima (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Southeast Asia and South Pacific

Zootaxa ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 1870 (1) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
HIROSHI SHIMA ◽  
TAKUJI TACHI
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Type Species ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Systematic Position ◽  
The South ◽  
First Time

Five new species of Paravibrissina Shima are described from Southeast Asia and the South Pacific: P. argentifera sp. nov., P. aurigera sp. nov., P. leucogaster sp. nov., P. pacifica sp. nov. and P. parvula sp. nov. Paravibrissina adiscalis infuscata Shima and P. thailandica Shima are synonymized with P. adiscalis Shima (syn. nov). The female, egg and a host are known for the first time for the type species, P. adiscalis. Paravibrissina is moved to the tribe Goniini from its original placement in the Blondeliini and its systematic position is discussed in light of conflicting characters. A key to the known species of Paravibrissina is provided.

Nuclear Testing and Human Rights

1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 389-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Kadelbach
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
European Commission ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
General Interest ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Nuclear Testing ◽  
The South ◽  
Procedural Law ◽  
Underground Nuclear Testing

On 4 December 1995, the European Commission of Human Rights dismissed a complaint filed by inhabitants of French Polynesia against the decision of the President of the French Republic to resume underground nuclear testing in the South Pacific. The case raises a series of issues regarding both substantive human rights law and procedural law which are of general interest for human rights litigation in cases of degradation of the environment. The decision misses the opportunity to elaborate on how to protect human fights against potentially harmful activities when the risk incurred is in dispute. Thus, it raises more questions than it answers.

Ocean Cruising: A Sailing Subculture

1992 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Macbeth
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
The South ◽  
Fringing Reef ◽  
The North ◽  
Hurricane Season ◽  
The North Atlantic ◽  
One Year

Just after dawn, an English couple in their 30's haul up their anchor and motor across the stillness of Suva harbour. The hurricane season is approaching and they are embarking on the 2–3 week trip to Bay of Islands New Zealand for the southern summer. Three months earlier, as their yacht lay aground on the fringing reef of uninhabited Suvarov atoll, they wondered if they'd ever reach New Zealand. But, with the help of other cruisers and lucky tides their steel 36 footer was clear and safe in under 24 hours. What was to be a one year trip around the north Atlantic was now happily way off course in the South Pacific and likely to remain so for some time. That is just a glimpse of one small aspect of ocean cruising, the subculture of interest here. However, throughout the paper the ethnography of cruising is developed further. A model is proposed to show how individuals come to share the subculture ideology and then to participate in the lifestyle. Subsequently, 1 will place ocean cruising in the context of subculture theory by expanding the ethnography and relating cruising to other subcultures.

Plastic Pollution in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre

2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 38-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Eriksen ◽  
Anna Cummins ◽  
Nikolai Maximenko ◽  
Martin Thiel ◽  
Gwen Lattin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Pacific ◽  
Subtropical Gyre ◽  
The South ◽  
Plastic Pollution

scholarly journals Molecular Characterization of Dengue Type 2 Outbreak in Pacific Islands Countries and Territories, 2017–2020

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1081
Author(s):  
Catherine Inizan ◽  
Olivia O’Connor ◽  
George Worwor ◽  
Talica Cabemaiwai ◽  
Jean-Claude Grignon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Islands ◽  
New Caledonia ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
The South ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Diffusion Pattern

Dengue virus (DENV) serotype-2 was detected in the South Pacific region in 2014 for the first time in 15 years. In 2016–2020, DENV-2 re-emerged in French Polynesia, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and New Caledonia, co-circulating with and later replacing DENV-1. In this context, epidemiological and molecular evolution data are paramount to decipher the diffusion route of this DENV-2 in the South Pacific region. In the current work, the E gene from 23 DENV-2 serum samples collected in Vanuatu, Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, and New Caledonia was sequenced. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses were performed. While all DENV-2 strains sequenced belong to the Cosmopolitan genotype, phylogenetic analysis suggests at least three different DENV-2 introductions in the South Pacific between 2017 and 2020. Strains retrieved in these Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs) in 2017–2020 are phylogenetically related, with strong phylogenetic links between strains retrieved from French PICTs. These phylogenetic data substantiate epidemiological data of the DENV-2 diffusion pattern between these countries.

South Pacific Commission

1959 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 662-663 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Conference Proceedings ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
The Other ◽  
Economic Welfare ◽  
The South ◽  
Vice Chairman ◽  
The Social ◽  
History Of ◽  
First Time ◽  
New Britain

The fourth South Pacific Conference was held at Rabaul, New Britain, in the territory of Papua and New Guinea, from April 20 to May 13, 1959. Sixty-five delegates and advisers attended from sixteen Pacific territories and the Kingdom of Tonga. The Conference was divided into two standing committees, one dealing with social and health questions, and the other with matters affecting the economic welfare of the island peoples. For the second time in the history of the conferences, the delegates themselves elected the chairman and vice-chairman of each committee, but for the first time a woman was elected chairman of one of them, i.e., the social committee. The Conference proceedings were governed by a general committee, on which each of the six governments forming the membership of the South Pacific Commission was represented by a member of a territorial delegation; the chairman of the Conference, Mr. J. R. Halligan, Australia's Senior Commissioner on the South Pacific Commission, was the only European member of the general committee.

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