Efficiency of Aerial Drones for Macrolitter Monitoring on Baltic Sea Beaches

hannes.schritt@ecologic.eu — Wed, 05 May 2021 13:33:29 +0000

Efficiency of Aerial Drones for Macrolitter Monitoring on Baltic Sea Beaches hannes.schritt… Wed, 05/05/2021 - 15:33

Titelbild

Efficiency of Aerial Drones for Macrolitter Monitoring on Baltic Sea Beaches (Escobar-Sánchez et al 2021)

Beschreibung

This study tests the potential of aerial drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles together with a Geographic Information System approach for semi-automatic classification of meso- (1–25 mm) and macrolitter (>25 mm) at four beaches of the southern Baltic Sea.

Visual screening of drone images in recovery experiments (50 m2 areas) at 10 m height revealed an accuracy of 99%. The total accuracy of classification using object-based classification was 45–90% for the classification with four classes and 50–66% for the classification with six classes, depending on the algorithm and flight height used. On 100 m beach monitoring transects the accuracy was between 39–74% (4 classes) and 25–74% (6 classes), with very low kappa values, indicating that the GIS classification method cannot be regarded as a reliable method for the detection of litter in the Southern Baltic.

In terms of cost-efficiency, the drone method showed high reproducibility and moderate accuracy, with much lower flexibility and quality of data than a comparable spatial-OSPAR method. Consequently, our results suggest that drone based monitoring cannot be recommended as a replacement or complement existing methods in southern Baltic beaches. However, drone monitoring could be useful at other sites and other methods for image analysis should be tested to explore this tool for fast-screening of non-accessible sites, fragile ecosystems, floating litter or heavily polluted beaches.

Further Links

Link to Article

Joint project

MicroCatch_Balt

DOI

doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2020.560237

Magazine

Frontiers in Environmental Science

Year

2021

Type of Result

(scientific) publications (peer-review, essays, book chapters, poster etc.)

Citation

Escobar-Sánchez G, Haseler M, Oppelt N and Schernewski G (2021) Efficiency of Aerial Drones for Macrolitter Monitoring on Baltic Sea Beaches. Front. Environ. Sci. 8:560237. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2020.560237

MicroCatch_Balt

KALEH — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 09:57:04 +0000

MicroCatch_Balt KALEH Wed, 12/20/2017 - 10:57

Investigation of Sinks and Sources of Microplastics from a Typical Catchment Area to the Open Baltic Sea

This project determined sources and sinks of microplastic in the Warnow river basin, as well as relevant dissemination processes on its way to the open Baltic Sea. Separate models were linked so that the resulting model covers the entire river basin including estuary and coastal waters. The linked models served to identify hotspot areas of microplastic entry and to estimate the effects of microplastic reduction measures in parts of the river basin. By converting the models into a handson multitouch table, project participants made interactive, creative learning modules that were presented in the form of a traveling exhibition in communities around the German Baltic coast from Stralsund to Flensburg. Further, MicroCatch_Balt included the examination of anti-fouling paint and extreme weather events as sources and higher organisms as sinks. Based on this, MicroCatch_Balt covered the most important aspects of microplastic contamination of limnic to marine systems in northern Germany, thereby offering interest groups the expertise with which to develop future monitoring and strategies for reduction.

Main areas of work

Sampling in the Warnow river basin and estuary, extraction and identification of microplastics
Modelling of microplastic input into the Warnow system of diffuse and point sources
Development of two multi-media modules for a multi-touch table and organisation of a traveling exhibition

Arbeitspakete

Work packages

WP 1 Sampling of microplastic from the environment

Contact person
PD Dr. habil. Matthias Labrenz, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Environmental Microbiology, Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, e-mail: matthias.labrenz@io-warnemuende.de

Project partner
IPF

Short description
In WP 1, environmental samples (water, sediment, soil, benthic and pelagic higher organisms) were collected, processed and identified in the Warnow area. Of particular interest were potential sources such as wastewater treatment plants / sewage separation, drainage ditches, erosion areas, industrially influenced areas as well as extreme events like Hanse Sail, New Year‘s Eve, heavy rain and storm events. Potential sinks, including higher organisms (mussels, worms, fish), beaches and sediments were also sampled. In all samples, the microplastic particles were identified and quantified using spectroscopic methods.

WP 2 Modelling of the Warnow estuary and the catchment area

Contact person
Dipl.-Ing.agr. Peter Kreins, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute - Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Bundesallee 50, 38116 Braunschweig, e-mail: peter.kreins@thuenen.de

Project partner
FZJ, IOW

Short description
By adapting and combining different regional models, spatially high-resolution modelling of landside diffuse and point source of microplastic emissions into the river basin of the Warnow took place. In this way, on the one hand the hotspots of pollution in the Warnow river area were identified and on the other hand the entire landside microplastic entries into coastal waters were quantified.

WP 3 Microplastics Touring Exhibition

Contact person
Dr. Barbara Hentzsch, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, Scientific Management and Communication, Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, e-mail: barbara.hentzsch@io-warnemuende.de

Project partner
FhIGD

Short description
In WP 3 a traveling exhibition with an interactive multimedia learning module was developed, which presents the project results in the form of animations. The traveling exhibition was shown in Stralsund, Rostock, Hamburg, Kiel, Eckernförde and Flensburg. The respective exhibition openings was accompanied by plenary discussions with representatives of the local environmental authorities and scientists.

WP 4 Project management

Contact person
PD Dr. habil. Matthias Labrenz, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Environmental Microbiology, Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, e-mail: matthias.labrenz@io-warnemuende.de

Short description
WP 4 covered project management and ensured efficient and productive execution of the project. The tasks of WP 4 included coordination with the other “Plastics in the Environment” projects PLAWES, PLASTRAT and the BONUS project MICROPOLL, as well as monitoring finances and work results, organising regular project meetings, disseminating project results to the public, and supporting the project manager with regard to internal and external scientific communication.

Coordinator

PD Dr. habil. Matthias Labrenz
Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde / IOW,
Environmental Microbiology
Seestraße 15
18119 Rostock
Phone: +49 381/5197378
e-mail:matthias.labrenz@io-warnemuende.de

Website

https://www.io-warnemuende.de/microcatch-home.html

Partner Institutions

Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden / IPF

Jülich Research Centre, Institute for Bio- and Geosciences / FZJ-IBG

Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute - Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries / TI-LR

Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD Rostock / FhIGD

Duration Period

August 2017

April 2021