Seabirds from the poles: microplastics pollution sentinels

Nature Communications

Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during foraging and migration. However, the spatial overlap between petrels and plastics is poorly understood. Here we combine marine plastic density estimates with individual movement data for 7137 birds of 77 petrel species to estimate relative exposure risk. We identify high exposure risk areas in the Mediterranean and Black seas, and the northeast Pacific, northwest Pacific, South Atlantic and southwest Indian oceans. Plastic exposure risk varies greatly among species and populations, and between breeding and non-breeding seasons. Exposure risk is disproportionately high for Threatened species...

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2019

The risk of marine organisms ingesting plastics has become a growing concern due to hazard chemicals in plastics. To identify compounds to which seabirds potentially have substantial exposure, 194 plastics fragments and pellets ingested by seabirds, i.e., northern fulmars from the Faroe Islands, and laysan albatross and blackfooted albatross from Mukojima Island, were analyzed piece by piece. Four kinds of UV stabilizers, 2 brominated flame retardants, and styrene oligomers were detected at detection frequencies of 4.6%, 2.1%, and 2.1%, respectively. Concentrations ranging from not detected (n.d.)-1700 μg/g were measured for UV stabilizers, n.d.-1100 μg/g for flame retardants, and n.d.-3200 μg/g for styrene oligomers. We found that these chemicals could be retained in plastics during drifting and fragmentation in the ocean and transported to seabirds. This type of transport via plastics can be direct pathway that introduces hazardous compounds to marine organisms.

2010

Plastic debris has become ubiquitous in the marine environment and seabirds may ingest debris which can have deleterious effects on their health. In the North Atlantic Ocean, surface feeding seabirds typically ingest high levels of plastic, while the diving auks which feed in the water column typically have much lower levels. We examined 186 thick-billed murres from five colonies in the eastern Canadian Arctic for ingested plastic debris. Approximately 11% of the birds had at least one piece of plastic debris in their gastrointestinal tracts, with debris dominated by user plastics. This is the first report of ingested plastics in an auk species in Canada's Arctic, and the highest incidence of plastic ingestion to date for thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia).

Scientific Reports, 2019

there is growing evidence that microplastic pollution (<5 mm in size) is now present in virtually all marine ecosystems, even in remote areas, such as the Arctic and the Antarctic. Microplastics have been found in water and sediments of the Antarctic but little is known of their ingestion by higher predators and mechanisms of their entry into Antarctic marine food webs. The goal of this study was to assess the occurrence of microplastics in a top predator, the gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua from the Antarctic region (Bird Island, South Georgia and Signy Island, South Orkney Islands) and hence assess the potential for microplastic transfer through Antarctic marine food webs. to achieve this, the presence of microplastics in scats (as a proof of ingestion) was investigated to assess the viability of a non-invasive approach for microplastic analyses in Antarctic penguins. A total of 80 penguin scats were collected and any microplastics they contained were extracted. A total of 20% of penguin scats from both islands contained microplastics, consisting mainly of fibers and fragments with different sizes and polymer composition (mean abundance of microplastics: 0.23 ± 0.53 items individual -1 scat, comprising seven different polymers), which were lower values than those found for seabirds in other regions worldwide. No significant differences in microplastic numbers in penguin scats between the two regions were detected. these data highlight the need for further assessment of the levels of microplastics in this sensitive region of the planet, specifically studies on temporal trends and potential effects on penguins and other organisms in the Antarctic marine food web. Plastic pollution (whether at the macro or the micro scale) is one of today's environmental issues of highest concern among scientists, policy makers and the general public 1-4 . One aspect of plastic pollution that has received increasing attention in recent years is that of microplastics, defined as any plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, which are either manufactured as small particles or originated from the fragmentation of larger plastic items . These particles may be subjected to a range of complex processes in the environment (weathering, embrittlement, aggregation), producing a variety of particles with different characteristics (shape, size and density) 2,7 . Additionally, they can leach out chemical additives and adsorb organic chemicals that are found in the environment, and some such compounds can bioaccumulate, posing a potential detriment to species and ecosystems . Microplastics are present in most habitats including rivers, lakes, oceans, soil and air and are bioavailable to ingestion by a variety of aquatic biota (from zooplankton to megafauna) . Despite their widespread occurrence, their effects on wild organisms have yet to be quantified 4,8 . These particles have been detected in remote areas such as the Arctic and the Antarctic regions . These polar ecosystems have recently received heightened attention regarding microplastic pollution, and there are several studies that have reported evidence of these particles in Arctic surface waters , in high concentrations in the sea ice across the Arctic Ocean 18 and in benthic organisms . Less is known about the occurrence of microplastic in the Southern Ocean 17 , where they have only been detected in seawater and sediments . However, it has been shown that Antarctic krill Euphausia superba can ingest microplastics in laboratory experiments 26 , but less is known regarding the levels of microplastics in wild Antarctic marine organisms (but see the reports on ingestion of plastic debris of larger sizes by petrels breeding in Antarctica 27 and fur seals 28 .

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2010

Plastic debris has become ubiquitous in the marine environment and seabirds may ingest debris which can have deleterious effects on their health. In the North Atlantic Ocean, surface feeding seabirds typically ingest high levels of plastic, while the diving auks which feed in the water column typically have much lower levels. We examined 186 thick-billed murres from five colonies in the eastern Canadian Arctic for ingested plastic debris. Approximately 11% of the birds had at least one piece of plastic debris in their gastrointestinal tracts, with debris dominated by user plastics. This is the first report of ingested plastics in an auk species in Canada's Arctic, and the highest incidence of plastic ingestion to date for thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia).

1986

Environmental Pollution

Highlights  Among the 34 studied species, 74% were recorded to ingest plastic  Only 16% of all species had data on plastic ingestion for multiple countries and years  In this region, 51% of species have not been investigated for plastic ingestion  Published data on nest incorporation of plastic was available for just two species  We recommend multi-jurisdictional collaboration in future monitoring

As far-ranging top predators, seabirds are valuable biological indicators of climatic and human-related perturbations of marine food webs because they sample marine ecosystems over large space and time scales. These same ecological reasons make seabirds valuable indicators of plastic pollution in coastal and oceanic waters. In this paper we review studies of the incidence and impacts of plastic ingestion on North Pacific seabirds, and identify several ecological factors that influence the susceptibility of different species. Foraging mode, habitat use, and body size are important factors to consider when quantifying the magnitude of plastic ingestion and its potential impacts on seabird populations. Largebodied, oceanic species that feed opportunistically at the surface are most susceptible to plastic ingestion. In particular, far-ranging tubenose (Procellariiformes) species, like fulmars and albatrosses, are ideal bio-indicators of marine plastic pollution. In this paper we report on plastic ingestion by Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) collected in California during 2003-2004, and review past research on far-ranging Hawaiian albatrosses. These results underscore the value of studies of seabird diet and stomach contents to monitor trends in North Pacific marine pollution. Although it is difficult to quantify population-level impacts resulting from the documented patterns of plastic ingestion in seabirds, the incidence of plastic debris in many long-lived North Pacific species is an emerging ecological problem that warrants further investigation. The mitigation of plastic ingestion in seabirds is a complex problem that will require broad-reaching cooperation between industry and wildlife resource managers, as well as education and public outreach. We present an educational program, designed to increase public awareness of the threats posed to seabirds by marine pollution, and to promote public stewardship of North Pacific seabirds. (e.g., salmon), they also may provide valuable information on the pollutant loads of marine resources consumed by humans (e.g., Montevecchi 1993, Burger and Gochfeld 2004, Blais et al. 2005). Most research on marine debris and seabirds has been motivated by the need to understand contaminant pathways in marine ecosystems, and has been largely limited to documenting plastic ingestion. The available research has shown an increasing trend in plastic ingestion in seabird populations worldwide, from the tropics to polar regions (Collins 2005, Edwards 2005). Thus, the study and remediation of marine pollution has important implications for seabird conservation globally, and will require greater attention in the future. Oceanic birds occupy vast ranges spanning multiple national economic exclusive zones, and often migrate across ocean basins and between hemispheres (Birdlife International 2004). Thus, international efforts are needed to study and mitigate the global conservation challenge of marine debris pollution. This presentation addresses the widespread incidence of plastic ingestion in marine birds, with an emphasis on North Pacific species, and reviews evidence of the resulting detrimental impacts. The patterns documented for North Pacific species are likely indicative of the trends and impacts in other ocean basins. Yet, no data are available for many colonies, species, and regions. Although there currently is no systematic scientific study to assess the global magnitude and impacts of plastic debris, local and regional monitoring programs of seabird populations (e.g., Van Franeker 2004) and marine litter surveys (e.g., Ryan and Moloney 1993) provide a foundation for a future comprehensive program. Many North Pacific seabirds ingest anthropogenic marine debris, including postconsumer plastics, also called "user" plastics (Baltz and Morejohn 1976, Robards et al. 1995, Blight and Burger 1997). Many of the surface feeding species-such as albatrosses, petrels, and fulmars-which forage opportunistically on a broad range of fish and squid prey seem especially prone to ingesting a broad array of user plastics. In particular, Laysan (Phoebastria immutabilis) and Black-footed (Phoebastria nigripes) albatrosses, and Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) frequently ingest a variety of large-sized (a few cm long) items such as bottle caps, cigarette lighters, toys, party balloons, and fragments of broken user plastics. During chick provisioning, adults then feed these items to their young, resulting in detrimental effects on chick growth and survival (Ryan 1987, Sievert and Sileo 1993). By virtue of their long lifespans (> 30 years), adult birds bio-accumulate the toxic compounds leached from the ingested plastics, with potential detrimental effects on fecundity rates and egg breakage rates (Jones et al. 1996, Auman et al. 1997). Other species that capture zooplankton-such as phalaropes, shearwaters, and auklets-ingest small-sized (few millimeters long) fragments of user plastics and pre-production industrial plastic pellets (a.k.a. nurdles; Robards et al. 1995, Blight and Burger 1997, Vlietstra and Parga 2002). We are working to encourage public participation in Coastal Cleanup Day and Adopt a Beach program activities, by supporting web-based animal tracking, public outreach lectures, and teacher workshops designed to supplement the California Coastal Commission Science Activity Guide "Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds". These efforts, which aim to link seabird ecology with the sources of marine debris, illustrate the diverse venues available to raise awareness of plastic pollution, and to promote stewardship for seabirds and ocean conservation.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2019

Plastic debris is a major global threat to marine ecosystems and species. However, our knowledge of this issue may be incomplete due to a lack of a standardized method for quantifying ingested ultrafine particles (1 μm-1 mm) in wildlife. This study provides the first quantification of ultrafine plastic in seabirds using chemical and biological digestion treatments to extract plastic items from seabird gizzards. The alkaline agent, potassium hydroxide, outperformed the enzyme corolase, based on cost and efficiency (e.g., digestion time). Ultrafine plastics were observed in 7.0% of Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes) gizzards collected from Lord Howe Island, Australia and accounted for 3.6% of all plastic items recovered (13 out of 359 items). Existing methods for extracting ingested plastic from seabirds do not account for ultrafine particles, therefore our results indicate current seabird plastic loads, and the associated physical and biological impacts, are underestimated.

Nature Communications, 2022

Microparticles, such as microplastics and microfibers, are ubiquitous in marine food webs. Filter-feeding megafauna may be at extreme risk of exposure to microplastics, but neither the amount nor pathway of microplastic ingestion are well understood. Here, we combine depth-integrated microplastic data from the California Current Ecosystem with high-resolution foraging measurements from 191 tag deployments on blue, fin, and humpback whales to quantify plastic ingestion rates and routes of exposure. We find that baleen whales predominantly feed at depths of 50-250 m, coinciding with the highest measured microplastic concentrations in the pelagic ecosystem. Nearly all (99%) microplastic ingestion is predicted to occur via trophic transfer. We predict that fish-feeding whales are less exposed to microplastic ingestion than krill-feeding whales. Per day, a krill-obligate blue whale may ingest 10 million pieces of microplastic, while a fish-feeding humpback whale likely ingests 200,000 pieces of microplastic. For species struggling to recover from historical whaling alongside other anthropogenic pressures, our findings suggest that the cumulative impacts of multiple stressors require further attention. The Anthropocene Ocean is marked by the rapid proliferation of pollution, including noise 1 , chemical 2 , biological (e.g., biotoxins and pathogens) 3 , and plastic pollution 4. Plastic production and disposal has risen more than twentyfold over the last half century and is projected to worsen through at least 2050 5,6. Plastic consumption by wildlife, either directly by ingestion from the environment or indirectly via trophic transfer from prey, has become a pervasive phenomenon since plastic debris was first reported in marine food webs half a century ago 7,8. At least 1500 species have been reported to ingest plastic 9 , particularly microparticles including microplastics (plastic pieces 0.001-5 mm) and microfibers (pieces 0.8-0.9 mm with a median diameter of 16.7 µm) 10. However, the route of exposure, the extent, the effects, and the bioaccumulation of ingested plastic are understudied or unknown in most natural systems. Determining exposure route and intensity are crucial first steps to projecting risk and mitigating harm for individuals and populations. Wildlife can confuse plastic for food but may also inadvertently ingest plastic that is adjacent to, attached to, or within food items. For top predators in particular, secondary ingestion of plastics via trophic transfer can be a dominant exposure route 11. This ingested plastic may have deleterious effects on marine consumers; however, most of these threats are poorly understood 12. While some taxa have been extensively studied for plastic ingestion, including marine fish 13 , sea turtles 14 , and seabirds 15 , this information is limited for marine mammals, particularly cetaceans. Baleen whales (Mysticeti) are perceived to be at high exposure risk of microplastic ingestion due to their diet, habitats, and filter-feeding behaviors 16-18. Recent studies investigating stomach contents and fecal samples from baleen whales agree that plastic