Identification of non-indigenous and other fouling species on marine litter using DNA metabarcoding : A comparison of marine taxa found on plastic litter and settlement plates collected from beaches and a harbour in the Netherlands, and a comparison to taxa found on marine litter in Iceland

Plastics from consumers and economic activities enter the oceans in increasing numbers. The resulting debris can not only cause mortality for seabirds and marine mammals, but by means of winds and currents can also function as a floating vessel for algae and animals that transport these species to places where they do not naturally occur. Here, we studied fouling animals and algae on marine litter found along the Dutch coast (2019-2021). In addition, ‘settlement plates’ were used to be able to make a distinction between exotic species already present in the Netherlands and newly arrived exotic... Mehr ...