Marine Debris Characteristics and Their Relationship with Reef Habitat Across Two Depth Levels in Taka Bonerate National Park, Indonesia
摘要
Marine debris has been recognized as a major threat to marine ecosystems, including coral reefs. Characteristics of reef habitats, including coral cover, coral growth forms, and substrate composition may influence the transport, retention, and distribution of marine debris within reef ecosystems. This study characterizes marine debris and investigates how characteristics of reef habitats are associated with debris distribution across two depth levels in Taka Bonerate National Park, Indonesia. Reef habitats and marine debris were surveyed using Line Intercept Transects (100 m) and belt transects (100 m × 4 m), respectively, on three islands (Tarupa Besar, Jinato, and Tinabo Besar) at 5 m and 10 m. Debris was categorized by abundance, type, size, and visual degradation. Substrate dominated benthic composition at both depths (39–78%), and coral cover was highest at Jinato Island (61%). Debris abundance varied across islands and reef habitats. Tinabo Besar Island recorded the highest abundance of debris at 5 m depth (0.029 ± 0.007 items m−2), followed by Jinato Island (0.019 ± 0.005 items m−2) and Tarupa Besar (0.011 ± 0.011 items m−2) (p < 0.05). Debris consisted mainly of macro-sized items (2.5 cm–1 m), with plastics comprising > 80% and frequently showing advanced degradation. The results revealed that marine debris distribution was associated with variation in reef habitats across islands and depth levels. Debris patterns were shaped by a combination of site-specific benthic structure and anthropogenic conditions (e. g. fishing activities, household practices, and waste management). This highlights the importance of location-specific assessments and targeted management strategies for remote coral reef systems.