Accumulation of wind-dispersed trash in desert environments

Detrimental effects of plastic debris and other trash have been well-studied in marine and coastal environments, but the extent and severity of the threat to terrestrial ecosystems are largely unknown. I used distance-sampling methods to quantify density of wind-dispersed trash in two protected areas of the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona. Densities of plastic bags ranged from 5.6/km(2) to 35.4/km(2), and densities of balloon clusters ranged from 39.2/km(2) to 62.7/km(2). Density of balloon clusters was greater than the density of desert tortoises. Gopherus morafkai, and western diamond-backed rattlesnakes, Crotalus atrox, in both study areas. Results of this study provide evidence that wind can disperse substantial amounts of trash >2 km into protected natural areas and suggest that accumulation of trash poses a potential threat to desert ecosystems. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.