Marine water quality of a densely populated Pacific atoll (Tarawa, Kiribati): Cumulative pressures and resulting impacts on ecosystem and human health

Graves, Carolyn A., Powell, Andy, Stone, Michelle, Redfern, Farran, Biko, Teema and Devlin, Michelle ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2194-2534 (2021) Marine water quality of a densely populated Pacific atoll (Tarawa, Kiribati): Cumulative pressures and resulting impacts on ecosystem and human health. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 163. ISSN 0025-326X

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Abstract

The resilience of coastal ecosystems and communities to poor environmental and health outcomes is threatened by cumulative anthropogenic pressures. In Kiribati, a developing Pacific Island country where human activities are closely connected with the ocean, both people and environment are particularly vulnerable to coastal pollution. We present a survey of environmental and human health water quality parameters around urban South Tarawa, and an overview of their impacts on the semi-enclosed atoll. Tarawa has significant water quality issues and decisions to guide improvements are hindered by a persistent lack of appropriate and sufficient observations. Our snapshot assessment identifies highest risk locations related to chronic focused and diffuse pollution inputs, and where mixing and dilution with ocean water is restricted. We demonstrate the importance of monitoring in the context of rapidly changing pressures. Our recommendations are relevant to other atoll ecosystems where land-based activities and ocean health are tightly interlinked.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: antimicrobial resistance (amr),coastal pollution,eutrophication,faecal contamination,monitoring,vibrio,oceanography,aquatic science,pollution,sdg 3 - good health and well-being,sdg 11 - sustainable cities and communities,sdg 14 - life below water,sdg 15 - life on land ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1900/1910
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Collaborative Centre for Sustainable Use of the Seas
Related URLs:
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 17 Jul 2021 00:12
Last Modified: 23 Oct 2022 02:40
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/80621
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111951

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