Marine debris ingestion in loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, from the Western Mediterranean

Tòmàs, Jesús; Guitart, Raimón; Mateo, Rafael; Raga, Juan Antonio

doi:10.1016/s0025-326x(01)00236-3

Cited by 218 publications

(122 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Most works reporting plastic ingestion have been associated with dietary studies, frequently using only the contents of the esophagus and stomach that likely underestimates plastic ingestion. Other studies have also indicated that the intestines hold a larger amount of plastic than the esophagus and stomach (Bjorndal et al, 1994;Tomás et al, 2002). We suggest that future studies evaluate the entire gastrointestinal tract of turtles, so we can get more reliable estimates.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…Nonetheless, our most important finding in terms of conservation involves the lethal effects of plastic ingestion observed in stranded sea turtles. Previous studies have reported a low occurrence of sea turtle deaths related to plastic ingestion (Plotkin et al, 1993;Mrosovsky et al, 2009;Guebert-Bartholo et al, 2011), with some authors assuming that death caused by plastic blockage of the intestine is only occasional (Tomás et al, 2002;Mrosovsky et al, 2009). Here we report a relatively large number of sea turtles deaths caused by plastic ingestion (Tab.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Plastic ingestion by sea turtles in Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil

Poli

Mesquita

Saska

et al. 2015

Iheringia, Sér. Zool.

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ABSTRACT. Currently, plastics are recognized as a major pollutant of the marine environment, representing a serious threat to ocean wildlife. Here, we examined the occurrence and effects of plastic ingestion by sea turtles found stranded along the coast of Paraíba State, Brazil from August 2009 to July 2010. Ninety-eight digestive tracts were examined, with plastic found in 20 (20.4%). Sixty five percent (n = 13) of turtles with plastic in the digestive tract were green turtles (Chelonia mydas), 25% (n = 5) were hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata), and 10% (n = 2) were olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). More plastic was found in the intestine (85%) than in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. We observed complete blockage of the gastrointestinal tract due to the presence of plastic in 13 of the 20 turtles that had ingested plastic. No correlation was found between the curved carapace length (CCL) and the number or mass of the plastic ingested items. Significant differences were found between the intake of hard and soft plastic and the ingestion of white/transparent and colored plastic, with soft and white/transparent plastics being more commonly ingested. This study reveals the serious problem of plastic pollution to sea turtles at the area. KEYWORDS. Marine debris ingestion, gastrointestinal blockage, Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, Lepidochelys olivacea.RESUMO. Ingestão de plástico por tartarugas marinhas no estado da Paraíba, Nordeste do Brasil. Atualmente, os plásticos são reconhecidos como um dos principais poluentes do ambiente marinho, representando uma séria ameaça para a vida marinha. Neste trabalho, nós examinamos a ocorrência e os efeitos da ingestão de plástico por tartarugas marinhas encontradas encalhadas ao longo da costa do estado da Paraíba, Brasil, de agosto de 2009 a julho de 2010. Noventa e oito tratos gastrointestinais foram examinados e plásticos foram encontrados em 20 (20,4%). Sessenta e cinco por cento (n = 13) das tartarugas com plástico no trato gastrointestinal eram da espécie verde (Chelonia mydas), 25% (n = 5) eram da espécie pente (Eretmochelys imbricata) e 10% (n = 2) eram da espécie oliva (Lepidochelys olivacea). Foi encontrado mais plástico no intestino (85%) do que em outras partes do trato gastrointestinal. Observou-se o completo bloqueio do trato gastrointestinal, devido à presença de plástico, em 13 das 20 tartarugas que ingeriram plástico. Não foi encontrada correlação entre o comprimento curvilíneo de carapaça (CCC) e o número ou massa dos itens plásticos ingeridos. Diferenças significativas foram encontradas entre a ingestão de plástico rígido e flexível e entre a ingestão de plástico branco/ transparente e colorido, com os flexíveis e brancos/transparentes sendo ingeridos com mais frequência. Este estudo revelou o grave problema da poluição por resíduos plásticos para as tartarugas marinhas nesta área. PALAVRAS-CHAVE. Ingestão de lixo marinho, bloqueio gastrointestinal Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, Lepidochelys olivacea.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plastic ingestion by sea turtles in Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil

Poli

Mesquita

Saska

et al. 2015

Iheringia, Sér. Zool.

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“…Apesar de outros estudos apontarem o plástico como principal resíduo antropogênico ingerido pelas tartarugas marinhas (BJORNDAL et al, 1994;BUGONI et al, 2001;TOMÁS et al, 2002;ORÓS et al, 2005), no presente trabalho, observou-se que resíduos Ciência Rural, v.41, n.11, nov, 2011.…”

Section: Condição Corporal Presença De Resíduo ---------------Local Dunclassified

Ingestão de resíduos antropogênicos por tartarugas marinhas no litoral norte do estado da Bahia, Brasil

et al. 2011

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“…The impact of other potential threats on the populations, like chemical contaminants (D'Ilio et al 2011) and debris (e.g. Tomás et al 2002;Lazar & Gračan 2011), is not clear yet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Movement patterns of marine turtles in the Mediterranean Sea: a review

Luschi

Casale

2014

Italian Journal of Zoology

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Understanding the at-sea spatial behaviour of sea turtles is a priority for their conservation. In the present paper, the current information on the distribution and movement patterns of the two species breeding in the Mediterranean, the loggerhead and the green turtle, is reviewed, focusing mainly on the 195 published routes of satellite-tracked turtles. A satisfactory level of knowledge about adults' migrations and other movements is reached only for loggerheads breeding at Zakynthos Island, Greece, and for green and loggerhead females nesting in Cyprus, while studies at foraging grounds are limited to loggerheads in the western and central parts of the basin. Adult males and females mostly show quite uniform post-breeding migratory patterns, typically moving towards individually specific neritic foraging grounds. A much higher variability is shown by loggerhead juveniles, which is probably associated with differences in their spatial behaviour while in oceanic or neritic waters. Evidence of seasonal migrations driven by lower temperatures in winter is available only for adult and juvenile loggerheads frequenting the two northernmost parts of the basin, i.e. the Ligurian and the northern Adriatic Sea. Current knowledge gaps and priorities for further research in the Mediterranean are discussed.

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Marine debris ingestion in loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, from the Western Mediterranean

Cited by 218 publications

References 12 publications

Plastic ingestion by sea turtles in Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil

Plastic ingestion by sea turtles in Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil

Ingestão de resíduos antropogênicos por tartarugas marinhas no litoral norte do estado da Bahia, Brasil

Movement patterns of marine turtles in the Mediterranean Sea: a review

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