Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8872061 | Marine Pollution Bulletin | 2017 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
Due to increased concerns regarding fecal pollution at marine recreational beaches, daily relative dog abundance and fecal density were estimated on an intensively managed (Beach 1) and a minimally managed (Beach 2) dog beach in Monterey County, California. Fecal loading and factors predictive of fecal deposition also were assessed. After standardizing for beach area, daily beach use and fecal densities did not differ between beaches and yearly fecal loading estimates revealed that unrecovered dog feces likely contributes significantly to fecal contamination (1.4 and 0.2 metric tonnes/beach). Detection of feces was significantly associated with beach management type, transect position relative to mean low tideline, presence of beach wrack, distance to the nearest beach entrance, and season. Methodologies outlined in this study can augment monitoring programs at coastal beaches to optimize management, assess visitor compliance, and improve coastal water quality.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Oceanography
Authors
Stori C. Oates, Melissa A. Miller, Dane Hardin, Clare Dominik, David Jessup, Woutrina A. Smith,