Impact of Plastic Pollution on Coastal Ecosystems in Tropical Regions

Dear Colleagues,

Coastal areas in the tropics are home to a range of ecosystems such as mangroves, wetlands, tidal flats, sea meadows, coral reefs, and salt marshes (in some tropical countries). The majority of these ecosystems are highly productive and diverse and provide numerous ecological and economic services. These coastal ecosystems also serve as blue carbon ecosystems (BCE) due to their potential to sequester a large amount of carbon, thereby contributing to mitigating climate change. For a long time, coastal ecosystems in tropical regions have been threatened by anthropogenic activities. At present, the major threat faced by these ecosystems is plastic pollution, which is a critical global environmental issue. Coastal ecosystems receive a variety of plastic (mega to nano-plastics) debris from the ocean and by rivers, channels, streams, and other kinds of waterways flowing into the ocean. According to the latest data, a substantial portion of global plastic waste including marine plastic litter is generated by tropical countries. The coastal areas in many tropical countries are urbanized and highly populated, and some lack adequate guidelines for managing plastic waste and proper disposal methodologies. As a result, plastic waste is directly thrown into waterways which eventually ends up in the coastal ecosystems and the ocean. Furthermore, extreme weather events such as storms, typhoons, flooding, and winds also bring a massive amount of marine litter and plastic debris from the ocean and the land to the coastal ecosystems. In coastal ecosystems, sediments are ideal sinks for plastic debris and marine litter, and their retention is further facilitated by the vegetation (e.g., mangroves) and the hydrodynamics in the ecosystem. The accumulated plastic debris can severely impact the sustenance, functioning, and healthy balance of these ecosystems, which in turn can disrupt the ecological and economic services provided by them. The objective of this Special Issue is to collate the latest research conducted to identify the existing and emerging risks of plastic accumulation, and impacts caused by plastics on soil and water biogeochemistry, fauna, and flora in tropical coastal ecosystems. Furthermore, we also aim to identify unique features of plastic pollution in tropical countries, if there are any, and to compare those with the coastal ecosystems in the rest of the world. Topics may cover, but are not limited to, the following areas:

Impact of plastics (mega to nano-plastics) on:

• Soil/sediment, surface, pore, and groundwater chemistry.
• Carbon stock in soil/sediments.
• Coastal vegetation and fauna.
• Microbial activities.

Impact of plastics (mega to nano-plastics) on:

• Human health.
• Surrounding communities of coastal ecosystems encompassing mangroves, wetlands, tidal flats, sea meadows, coral reefs, and salt marshes (in some tropical countries).

We welcome original research, reviews, and short communications and look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Chamindra Vithana
Dr. Saranga Diyabalanage
Guest Editors

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• mangroves
• blue carbon ecosystems
• pollution
• climate
• soil
• water