Coastal dunes (CD) are dynamic environments shaped by sediment accumulation, sea breeze and vegetation cover, which are also highly sensitive to human intervention. The urbanization of coastal areas, global warming and rising sea levels pose significant threats to CD systems, leading to erosion and habitat loss. In the past decade, the total CD area in Bulgaria has decreased by over 12 hectares, resulting in the complete loss...

The threat of anthropogenic marine litter, particularly plastic pollution, to marine ecosystems and human health, has spurred mitigation initiatives and global scientific research. Following the Marine Strategy Framework Directive guidelines, this study evaluated marine litter distribution, cleanliness, and plastic pollution indices along Bulgarian Black Sea beaches in 2023. The survey integrates visual assessment, manual samp...