title: Rivers as a source of marine litter--a study from the SE Pacific.
abstract: Composition and abundance of persistent buoyant litter (plastics, polystyrene and manufactured wood) were investigated at riversides and on adjacent coastal beaches of four rivers flowing into the SE Pacific Ocean. Persistent buoyant litter made up the main share of litter at riversides (36-82%) and on coastal beaches near the river mouths (67-86%). The characteristic litter composition of each river is attributable to human influences along its course. Riverine litter items were deposited to both sides of the river mouths on coastal beaches, and their abundance generally declined with distance from the river mouth. However, maximum litter accumulations were often found on beaches north of the river mouth, suggesting a long-term influence of the prevailing equatorward low-level jet along the Chilean coast. The results confirm that riverine transport has an important impact on litter abundances on coastal beaches.
authors.affiliation: Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Westfälische Wilhelmsuniversität Münster, Fachbereich Biologie, Schlossgarten 3, 48149 Münster, Germany. Electronic address: s_rech01@uni-muenster.de.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rech
authors.affiliation: Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile. Electronic address: vmacaya.c@gmail.com.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Macaya-Caquilpán
authors.affiliation: Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile. Electronic address: jpantoja@ucn.cl.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Pantoja
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Av. Ossandón 877, CP. 1781681 Coquimbo, Chile; Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile. Electronic address: marcelo.rivadeneira@ceaza.cl.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rivadeneira
authors.affiliation: Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile. Electronic address: djofremadariaga@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jofre Madariaga
authors.affiliation: Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Av. Ossandón 877, CP. 1781681 Coquimbo, Chile. Electronic address: thiel@ucn.cl.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thiel
mesh_terms: D002677:Chile; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000032:analysis*; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014934:Wood / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D011137:Polystyrenes; D014866:Waste Products; D014873:Water Pollutants
keywords: Litter abundance; Litter composition; Marine beaches; Riverine litter; Riversides