Long-term changes in the type, but not amount, of ingested plastic particles in short-tailed shearwaters in the southeastern Bering Sea

Vlietstra, Lucy S.; Parga, Joyce A.

doi:10.1016/s0025-326x(02)00130-3

Cited by 99 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Evidence suggests a temporal decrease in the average size of plastic litter (Barnes et al 2009;Erikssen et al 2014). Studies based on the stomach contents of shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris) in the Bering Sea also indicated a decrease in 'industrial' primary pellets and an increase in 'user' plastic between the 1970s and the late 1990s (Vlietstra and Parga 2002) but constant levels over the last decade . Similarly, long-term data from The Netherlands since the 1980s show a decrease of industrial plastics and an increase in user plastics, with shipping and fisheries being the main sources (van Franeker 2012).…”

Section: Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Distribution, Composition and Abundance of Marine Litter

Galgani

Hanke

Maes

2015

Marine Anthropogenic Litter

433

338

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Marine debris is commonly observed everywhere in the oceans. Litter enters the seas from both land-based sources, from ships and other installations at sea, from point and diffuse sources, and can travel long distances before being stranded. Plastics typically constitute the most important part of marine litter sometimes accounting for up to 100 % of floating litter. On beaches, most studies have demonstrated densities in the 1 item m −2 range except for very high concentrations because of local conditions, after typhoons or flooding events. Floating marine debris ranges from 0 to beyond 600 items km −2 . On the sea bed, the abundance of plastic debris is very dependent on location, with densities ranging from 0 to >7700 items km −2 , mainly in coastal areas. Recent studies have demonstrated that pollution of microplastics, particles <5 mm, has spread at the surface of oceans, in the water column and in sediments, even in the deep sea. Concentrations at the water surface ranged from thousands to hundred thousands of particles km −2 . Fluxes vary widely with factors such as proximity of urban activities, shore and coastal uses, wind and ocean currents. These enable the presence of accumulation areas in oceanic convergence zones and on the seafloor, notably in coastal canyons. Temporal trends are not clear with evidences for increases, decreases or without changes, depending on locations and environmental conditions. In terms of distribution and quantities, proper global estimations based on standardized approaches are still needed before considering efficient management and reduction measures.

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Section: Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Distribution, Composition and Abundance of Marine Litter

Galgani

Hanke

Maes

2015

Marine Anthropogenic Litter

433

338

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“…Vlietstra and Parga, 2002;Ryan, 2008). Perhaps the most compelling evidence of regional differences in plastic ingestion linked to the risk of exposure to plastics in the environment comes from the northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis, which shows a marked decrease in plastic ingestion rates with increasing latitude (and hence distance from major human population centres) in both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans (reviewed by van Franeker and Law, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional differences in plastic ingestion among Southern Ocean fur seals and albatrosses

Ryan

Bruyn

Bester

2016

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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We provide data on regional differences in plastic ingestion for two Southern Ocean top predators: Arctocephalus fur seals and albatrosses (Diomedeidae). Fur seals breeding on Macquarie Island in the 1990s excreted small (mainly 2-5 mm) plastic fragments, probably derived secondarily from myctophid fish. No plastic was found in the scats of these seals breeding on three islands in the southwest Indian and central South Atlantic Oceans, despite myctophids dominating their diets at these locations.Compared to recent reports of plastic ingestion by albatrosses off the east coast of 2 South America, we confirm that plastic is seldom found in the stomachs of Thalassarche albatrosses off South Africa, but found no Diomedea albatrosses to contain plastic, compared to 26% off South America. The reasons for such regional differences are unclear, but emphasise the importance of reporting negative as well as positive records of plastic ingestion by marine biota.

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“…The Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), a medium-sized petrel, has been a useful indicator of trends in marine debris in both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans since the 1980s (van Franeker 1985;Robards et al 1995;Mallory et al 2006;Mallory 2008). Similarly, the Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris), the dominant species in the Bering Sea during the austral winter, has been used to identify long-term trends of plastic pollution in that region since the early 1970s (Vlietstra and Parga 2002). Disturbingly, levels of plastic ingestion in this species have increased over the past three decades to a point where >80% of adults ingest plastic material (Ogi 1990;Vlietstra and Parga 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly, the Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris), the dominant species in the Bering Sea during the austral winter, has been used to identify long-term trends of plastic pollution in that region since the early 1970s (Vlietstra and Parga 2002). Disturbingly, levels of plastic ingestion in this species have increased over the past three decades to a point where >80% of adults ingest plastic material (Ogi 1990;Vlietstra and Parga 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Comparisons of plastic ingestion between fledglings from the southern hemisphere and adults studied in the northern hemisphere (Vlietstra and Parga 2002) are presented. In addition, if plastic loads adversely affect body condition, fledglings with higher loads of plastic are more likely to exhibit negative outcomes, such as lower levels of fat deposition or starvation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Intergenerational transfer of plastic debris by Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris)

Carey

2011

Emu - Austral Ornithology

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Abstract. Pollution of the world's oceans affects a wide variety of marine organisms and raises major conservation concerns. Ingestion of plastic debris has increased since the 1970s, particularly among the Procellariiformes, resulting in a range of lethal and sub-lethal side effects. Plastic loads (grams of plastic per bird) of adult Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) are well known from research in the northern hemisphere, but the amount of plastic ingested by their offspring has yet to be quantified. In this study, the stomach contents of fledgling Short-tailed Shearwaters on Phillip Island, Victoria, were analysed for plastic particles. All birds sampled contained plastic, averaging 7.6 particles per bird. The mean mass of plastic per bird was 113 mg. The most common type of plastic was user plastic, followed by industrial pellets. The birds contained a small proportion of other refuse, such as polystyrene and plastic bag. Plastics were primarily light in colour, though red and grey-black materials were also recorded. Despite a weak trend, no clear influence of ingested plastic on body condition could be demonstrated, although there was some evidence of physical damage to the gizzard. Accumulation of plastic objects in the digestive tract over time may indirectly affect the life cycle of species and their reproductive success, with long-term harm caused to populations. Data suggests that an assessment of the effect of this type of pollution on seabird welfare is urgently required.

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Long-term changes in the type, but not amount, of ingested plastic particles in short-tailed shearwaters in the southeastern Bering Sea

Cited by 99 publications

References 28 publications

Global Distribution, Composition and Abundance of Marine Litter

Global Distribution, Composition and Abundance of Marine Litter

Regional differences in plastic ingestion among Southern Ocean fur seals and albatrosses

Intergenerational transfer of plastic debris by Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris)

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