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Garrard SL, Clark JR, Martin N, Nelms SE, Botterell ZLR, Cole M, Coppock RL, Galloway TS, Green DS, Jones M, Lindeque PK, Tillin HM, Beaumont NJ. Identifying potential high-risk zones for land-derived plastic litter to marine megafauna and key habitats within the North Atlantic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171282. [PMID: 38412875 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The pervasive use of plastic in modern society has led to plastic litter becoming ubiquitous within the ocean. Land-based sources of plastic litter are thought to account for the majority of plastic pollution in the marine environment, with plastic bags, bottles, wrappers, food containers and cutlery among the most common items found. In the marine environment, plastic is a transboundary pollutant, with the potential to cause damage far beyond the political borders from where it originated, making the management of this global pollutant particularly complex. In this study, the risks of land-derived plastic litter (LDPL) to major groups of marine megafauna - seabirds, cetaceans, pinnipeds, elasmobranchs, turtles, sirenians, tuna and billfish - and a selection of productive and biodiverse biogenic habitats - coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, saltmarsh and kelp beds - were analysed using a Spatial Risk Assessment approach. The approach combines metrics for vulnerability (mechanism of harm for megafauna group or habitat), hazard (plastic abundance) and exposure (distribution of group or habitat). Several potential high-risk zones (HRZs) across the North Atlantic were highlighted, including the Azores, the UK, the French and US Atlantic coasts, and the US Gulf of Mexico. Whilst much of the modelled LDPL driving risk in the UK originated from domestic sources, in other HRZs, such as the Azores archipelago and the US Gulf of Mexico, plastic originated almost exclusively from external (non-domestic) sources. LDPL from Caribbean islands - some of the largest generators of marine plastic pollution in the dataset of river plastic emissions used in the study - was noted as a significant input to HRZs across both sides of the Atlantic. These findings highlight the potential of Spatial Risk Assessment analyses to determine the location of HRZs and understand where plastic debris monitoring and management should be prioritised, enabling more efficient deployment of interventions and mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Garrard
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom.
| | - James R Clark
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola Martin
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah E Nelms
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Zara L R Botterell
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Cole
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel L Coppock
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Tamara S Galloway
- Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Dannielle S Green
- Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, United Kingdom
| | - Megan Jones
- Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, United Kingdom
| | - Pennie K Lindeque
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Heidi M Tillin
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola J Beaumont
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
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Cebuhar JD, Negrete J, Rodríguez Pirani LS, Picone AL, Proietti M, Romano RM, Della Védova CO, Casaux R, Secchi ER, Botta S. Anthropogenic debris in three sympatric seal species of the Western Antarctic Peninsula. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171273. [PMID: 38408675 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Litter pollution is a growing concern, including for Antarctica and the species that inhabit this ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the microplastic contamination in three seal species that inhabit the Western Antarctic Peninsula: crabeater (Lobodon carcinophaga), leopard (Hydrurga leptonyx) and Weddell (Leptonychotes weddellii) seals. Given the worldwide ubiquity of this type of contaminant, including the Southern Ocean, we hypothesized that the three seal species would present anthropogenic debris in their feces. We examined 29 scat samples of crabeater (n = 5), leopard (n = 13) and Weddell (n = 11) seals. The chemical composition of the items found were identified using micro-Raman and micro-FTIR spectroscopies. All the samples of the three species presented anthropic particles (frequency of occurrence - %FO - 100 %). Fibers were the predominant debris, but fragments and filaments were also present. Particles smaller than 5 mm (micro debris) were predominant in all the samples. Leopard seals ingested significantly larger micro-debris in comparison with the other seal species. The dominant color was black followed by blue and white. Micro-Raman and micro-FTIR Spectroscopies revealed the presence of different anthropogenic pigments such as reactive blue 238, Indigo 3600 and copper phthalocyanine (blue and green). Carbon black was also detected in the samples, as well as plastic polymers such as polystyrene, polyester and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide, polypropylene and polyurethane These results confirm the presence of anthropogenic contamination in Antarctic seals and highlight the need for actions to mitigate the effects and reduce the contribution of debris in the Antarctic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta D Cebuhar
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande-FURG, Av. Itália Km 8 s/n, Rio Grande, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande-FURG, Rio Grande, Brazil.
| | - Javier Negrete
- Laboratório de Predadores Tope, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Av. 25 de Mayo 1147, Villa Lynch, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Calle 64 N° 3, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata 1900, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz, 2290, C1425FQB, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas S Rodríguez Pirani
- CEQUINOR (UNLP, CCT-CONICET La Plata, associated with CIC), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Blvd. 120 N° 1465, La Plata 1900, Argentina
| | - A Lorena Picone
- CEQUINOR (UNLP, CCT-CONICET La Plata, associated with CIC), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Blvd. 120 N° 1465, La Plata 1900, Argentina
| | - Maira Proietti
- Laboratório de Ecologia Molecular Marinha and Projeto Lixo Marinho, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande-FURG, Av. Itália Km 8 s/n, Rio Grande, Brasil Rio Grande, Brazil; The Ocean Cleanup, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rosana M Romano
- CEQUINOR (UNLP, CCT-CONICET La Plata, associated with CIC), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Blvd. 120 N° 1465, La Plata 1900, Argentina
| | - Carlos O Della Védova
- CEQUINOR (UNLP, CCT-CONICET La Plata, associated with CIC), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Blvd. 120 N° 1465, La Plata 1900, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Casaux
- Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica (CIEMEP), Roca 780, 9200 Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Eduardo R Secchi
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande-FURG, Av. Itália Km 8 s/n, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | - Silvina Botta
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande-FURG, Av. Itália Km 8 s/n, Rio Grande, Brazil
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Barratclough A, Ferguson SH, Lydersen C, Thomas PO, Kovacs KM. A Review of Circumpolar Arctic Marine Mammal Health-A Call to Action in a Time of Rapid Environmental Change. Pathogens 2023; 12:937. [PMID: 37513784 PMCID: PMC10385039 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The impacts of climate change on the health of marine mammals are increasingly being recognised. Given the rapid rate of environmental change in the Arctic, the potential ramifications on the health of marine mammals in this region are a particular concern. There are eleven endemic Arctic marine mammal species (AMMs) comprising three cetaceans, seven pinnipeds, and the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). All of these species are dependent on sea ice for survival, particularly those requiring ice for breeding. As air and water temperatures increase, additional species previously non-resident in Arctic waters are extending their ranges northward, leading to greater species overlaps and a concomitant increased risk of disease transmission. In this study, we review the literature documenting disease presence in Arctic marine mammals to understand the current causes of morbidity and mortality in these species and forecast future disease issues. Our review highlights potential pathogen occurrence in a changing Arctic environment, discussing surveillance methods for 35 specific pathogens, identifying risk factors associated with these diseases, as well as making recommendations for future monitoring for emerging pathogens. Several of the pathogens discussed have the potential to cause unusual mortality events in AMMs. Brucella, morbillivirus, influenza A virus, and Toxoplasma gondii are all of concern, particularly with the relative naivety of the immune systems of endemic Arctic species. There is a clear need for increased surveillance to understand baseline disease levels and address the gravity of the predicted impacts of climate change on marine mammal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Barratclough
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
| | - Steven H. Ferguson
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada;
| | - Christian Lydersen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; (C.L.); (K.M.K.)
| | - Peter O. Thomas
- Marine Mammal Commission, 4340 East-West Highway, Room 700, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - Kit M. Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; (C.L.); (K.M.K.)
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Jardine AM, Provencher JF, Insley SJ, Tauzer L, Halliday WD, Bourdages MPT, Houde M, Muir D, Vermaire JC. No accumulation of microplastics detected in western Canadian ringed seals (Pusa hispida). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 188:114692. [PMID: 36753811 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) play a crucial role in Arctic food webs as important pelagic predators and represent an essential component of Inuvialuit culture and food security. Plastic pollution is recognized as a global threat of concern, and Arctic regions may act as sinks for anthropogenic debris. To date, mixed evidence exists concerning the propensity for Canadian Arctic marine mammals to ingest and retain plastic. Our study builds on existing literature by offering the first assessment of plastic ingestion in ringed seals harvested in the western Canadian Arctic. We detected no evidence of microplastic (particles ≥80 μm) retention in the stomachs of ten ringed seals from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) in the Northwest Territories, Canada. These results are consistent with previous studies that have found that some marine mammals do not accumulate microplastics in evaluated regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Jardine
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Environmental Change Laboratory, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and Institute for Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Jennifer F Provencher
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Environmental Change Laboratory, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and Institute for Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa K1S 5B6, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen J Insley
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada (WCS Canada), 169 Titanium Way, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 0E9, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Lila Tauzer
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada (WCS Canada), 169 Titanium Way, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 0E9, Canada
| | - William D Halliday
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada (WCS Canada), 169 Titanium Way, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 0E9, Canada; School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Madelaine P T Bourdages
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Environmental Change Laboratory, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and Institute for Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC, H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - Derek Muir
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC, H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - Jesse C Vermaire
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Environmental Change Laboratory, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and Institute for Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Pinzone M, Nordøy ES, Eppe G, Malherbe C, Das K, Collard F. First record of plastic debris in the stomach of a hooded seal pup from the Greenland Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 167:112350. [PMID: 33865037 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plastic debris is globally found around the world and the remote Arctic is no exception. Arctic true seals are sentinel species of marine pollution and represent the link between marine food webs and Arctic apex predators like polar bears and humans. With regard to true seals, ingested macroplastics have never been reported in an Arctic species. We harvested 10 harp seals Pagophilus groenlandicus and 8 hooded seals Cystophora cristata from the breeding grounds in the pack ice of the Greenland Sea. The digestive tract was inspected exclusively for the presence of macroplastics (>5 mm). Two pieces of single-use plastic were found in the stomach of a weaned hooded seal pup. This study indicates that young Arctic marine predators may ingest macroplastics, and therefore may be at risk during their early stages of life due to human caused plastic pollution even in the remote Arctic pack ice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Pinzone
- Laboratory of Oceanology, FOCUS Research Unit, University of Liege, Belgium
| | - Erling S Nordøy
- Institute of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Norway
| | - Gauthier Eppe
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, MolSys Research Unit, University of Liege, Belgium
| | - Cédric Malherbe
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, MolSys Research Unit, University of Liege, Belgium
| | - Krishna Das
- Laboratory of Oceanology, FOCUS Research Unit, University of Liege, Belgium
| | - France Collard
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
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Zantis LJ, Carroll EL, Nelms SE, Bosker T. Marine mammals and microplastics: A systematic review and call for standardisation. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 269:116142. [PMID: 33288297 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics receive significant societal and scientific attention due to increasing concerns about their impact on the environment and human health. Marine mammals are considered indicators for marine ecosystem health and many species are of conservation concern due to a multitude of anthropogenic stressors. Marine mammals may be vulnerable to microplastic exposure from the environment, via direct ingestion from sea water, and indirect uptake from their prey. Here we present the first systematic review of literature on microplastics and marine mammals, composing of 30 studies in total. The majority of studies examined the gastrointestinal tracts of beached, bycaught or hunted cetaceans and pinnipeds, and found that microplastics were present in all but one study, and the abundance varied between 0 and 88 particles per animal. Additionally, microplastics in pinniped scats (faeces) were detected in eight out of ten studies, with incidences ranging from 0% of animals to 100%. Our review highlights considerable methodological and reporting deficiencies and differences among papers, making comparisons and extrapolation across studies difficult. We suggest best practices to avoid these issues in future studies. In addition to empirical studies that quantified microplastics in animals and scat, ten studies out of 30 (all focussing on cetaceans) tried to estimate the risk of exposure using two main approaches; i) overlaying microplastic in the environment (water or prey) with cetacean habitat or ii) proposing biological or chemical biomarkers of exposure. We discuss advice and best practices on research into the exposure and impact of microplastics in marine mammals. This work on marine ecosystem health indicator species will provide valuable and comparable information in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Zantis
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Emma L Carroll
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Sarah E Nelms
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, United Kingdom; Centre for Circular Economy, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, United Kingdom.
| | - Thijs Bosker
- Leiden University College, Leiden University, The Hague, the Netherlands; Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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