Out of sight, hidden into the deep: Marine litter in the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon (southwestern Atlantic) revealed by ROV survey

@article{teso2026sight,
  title = {{Out of sight, hidden into the deep: Marine litter in the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon (southwestern Atlantic) revealed by ROV survey}},
  author = {Valeria Teso and Diego Urteaga and Graziella Bozzano and Gregorio Bigatti and Martín I. Brogger and Francisco Brusa and Rodrigo Calderón and Nadia Cerino and Ignacio L. Chiesa and María Agustina Conti and Cristina Damborenea and María Carla de Aranzamendi and Brenda L. Doti and Nahuel Farías and Jonathan N. Flores and Santiago Herrera and Ezequiel Mabragaña and Mariano Martinez and Florencia Matusevich and Adriana Menoret and Emiliano Ocampo and Leonel Pacheco and Guido Pastorino and Pablo Penchaszadeh and Emanuel Pereira and Renata M. Pertossi and Jessica Risaro and Noelia C. Sánchez and Javier H. Signorelli and Marcos Tatián and Johanna N. J. Weston and Daniel Lauretta},
  journal = {PLOS One},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0357098},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0357098},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Out of sight, hidden into the deep: Marine litter in the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon (southwestern Atlantic) revealed by ROV survey
AU  - Valeria Teso
AU  - Diego Urteaga
AU  - Graziella Bozzano
AU  - Gregorio Bigatti
AU  - Martín I. Brogger
AU  - Francisco Brusa
AU  - Rodrigo Calderón
AU  - Nadia Cerino
AU  - Ignacio L. Chiesa
AU  - María Agustina Conti
AU  - Cristina Damborenea
AU  - María Carla de Aranzamendi
AU  - Brenda L. Doti
AU  - Nahuel Farías
AU  - Jonathan N. Flores
AU  - Santiago Herrera
AU  - Ezequiel Mabragaña
AU  - Mariano Martinez
AU  - Florencia Matusevich
AU  - Adriana Menoret
AU  - Emiliano Ocampo
AU  - Leonel Pacheco
AU  - Guido Pastorino
AU  - Pablo Penchaszadeh
AU  - Emanuel Pereira
AU  - Renata M. Pertossi
AU  - Jessica Risaro
AU  - Noelia C. Sánchez
AU  - Javier H. Signorelli
AU  - Marcos Tatián
AU  - Johanna N. J. Weston
AU  - Daniel Lauretta
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/16
JO  - PLOS One
DO  - 10.1371/journal.pone.0357098
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0357098
AB  - The deep sea is increasingly recognized as vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures, including marine litter, yet large geographic gaps remain in our understanding of litter distribution and ecological interactions. Submarine canyon systems can act as conduits and accumulation zones for anthropogenic material, but data from the southwestern Atlantic are scarce. Here, we present the first characterization of deep-sea marine macro-litter in the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon (Argentina), based on 240 hours of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) video collected during 17 dives (878–3,820 m depth) aboard the R/V Falkor (too) in July-August 2025. Litter was observed during 10 dives, comprising 29 items distributed between 1,120 and 3,820 m. Plastic was the dominant material (27 items), followed by rubber (2 items). Most litter consisted of plastic sheets and bags, food wrappers, and commercial fishing-related gear, including lines, ropes, and cables. Litter was observed in multiple settings, including buried or degraded items, resting on the seabed, and trapped among rocks or drifting near the bottom. Most items were located within the canyon domain, forming localized clusters along the canyon axis and walls. Litter-fauna interactions were documented for seven items and included both sessile colonization and associations with mobile fauna, mainly on partially buried plastic items and entangled fishing-related gear. These patterns suggest that substrate stability and residence time may influence sessile colonization. The composition and distribution of debris indicate that maritime activities, particularly fisheries, are the most likely sources and further support the role of submarine canyons as accumulation zones for marine litter. This study provides critical baseline data in an understudied region and highlights the need for improved monitoring programs and management strategies for marine litter to reduce impacts in submarine canyon systems.
SN  - 1932-6203
ER  -