Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.S.

Department

Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies

Degree Program

Interdisciplinary Studies concentration in Sustainability, MS

Committee Chair

Sluss, Tamara

Committee Member

Wicks, David

Committee Member

Mahoney, Tyler

Author's Keywords

Urban waterways; citizen science; anthropogenic litter; Beargrass Creek

Abstract

This thesis addressed the ever growing presence and persistence of anthropogenic litter (AL) in urban waterways. AL has been studied in marine environments, but research gaps exist in riverine ecosystems. Most of the AL that reaches the Earth’s oceans is carried by urban rivers, so understanding the relationship between these waterways and AL is critical in effectively fighting AL accumulation, especially for legacy plastic pollutants. The study explored fifteen sites throughout Beargrass Creek and recorded the quantity and type of AL present throughout the summer and fall of 2023. The National Geographic Marine Debris Tracker App was employed to successfully accomplish this analysis. Trends between AL quantity, flow rates, and watershed variables were investigated. The results of this project revealed the interconnected relationship between urbanization and AL accumulation in waterways, and they provided supporting evidence for the crucial change possible through participatory science.

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