Marine pollution and endangered species

As a threat to marine species, pollution is currently a very high-profile issue in many nations around the world. However, what are the most substantive pollution-mediated threats to endangered marine species? How do we better assess and mitigate them within the multifactorial context of other threats? This ESR Special collates the evidence needed to answer these questions, thus aiding marine conservation efforts. Building upon a successful ESR Special on the "Effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on protected marine species", we present original research articles and reviews that target the full spectrum of marine pollution problems faced by species of conservation concern. This spectrum includes oil, marine plastics and ghost-fishing gear but also threats resulting from less visible pollutants (such as chemicals) and anthropogenic sound (see also the previous ESR Special "21st century paradigms for measuring and managing the effects of anthropogenic ocean noises").

Articles belonging to this Special were published upon completion in the respective volume of ESR. They are listed below as well as on the contents page of the respective volume of publication.

Status: Complete.

Organizer: Brendan Godley

Editors: Louise Chilvers, Matthew Godfrey, Brendan Godley, Robert G. Harcourt, Mark Hamann, Sasha Hooker, Bryan Wallace, Rory Wilson

Duncan EM, Botterell ZLR, Broderick AC, Galloway TS, Lindeque PK, Nuno A, Godley BJ

REVIEW: A global review of marine turtle entanglement in anthropogenic debris: a baseline for further action

ESR 34:431-448 | Full text in pdf format

Carretta JV

A machine-learning approach to assign species to ‘unidentified’ entangled whales

ESR 36:89-98 | Full text in pdf format

Godoy DA, Stockin KA

Anthropogenic impacts on green turtles Chelonia mydas in New Zealand

ESR 37:1-9 | Full text in pdf format

Parton KJ, Galloway TS, Godley BJ

REVIEW: Global review of shark and ray entanglement in anthropogenic marine debris

ESR 39:173-190 | Full text in pdf format

Elliott BW, Read AJ, Godley BJ, Nelms SE, Nowacek DP

Critical information gaps remain in understanding impacts of industrial seismic surveys on marine vertebrates

ESR 39:247-254 | Full text in pdf format

Hunter SA, Tennyson AJD, Bartle JA, Miskelly CM, Waugh SM, McConnell HM, Morgan KJ, Finlayson ST, Baylis SM, Chilvers BL, Gartrell BD

Assessing avian mortality during oil spills: a case study of the New Zealand MV ‘Rena’ oil spill, 2011

ESR 39:303-314 | Full text in pdf format

Arcangeli A, Maffucci F, Atzori F, Azzolin M, Campana I, Carosso L, Crosti R, Frau F, David L, Di-Méglio N, Roul M, Gregorietti M, Mazzucato V, Pellegrino G, Giacoletti A, Paraboschi M, Zampollo A, de Lucia GA, Hochscheid S

Turtles on the trash track: loggerhead turtles exposed to floating plastic in the Mediterranean Sea

ESR 40:107-121 | Full text in pdf format

Stelfox M, Bulling M, Sweet M

Untangling the origin of ghost gear within the Maldivian archipelago and its impact on olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) populations

ESR 40:309-320 | Full text in pdf format

Wallace BP, Stacy BA, Cuevas E, Holyoake C, Lara PH, Marcondes ACJ, Miller JD, Nijkamp H, Pilcher NJ, Robinson I, Rutherford N, Shigenaka G

REVIEW: Oil spills and sea turtles: documented effects and considerations for response and assessment efforts

ESR 41:17-37 | Full text in pdf format

Ware M, Fuentes MMPB

Leave No Trace ordinances for coastal species management: influences on sea turtle nesting success

ESR 41:197-207 | Full text in pdf format