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Pon JPS, Álvarez VA, Nicolini AT, Rosenthal AF, García GO. Ingestion of marine debris by juvenile Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) in wintering grounds of coastal Argentina. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 193:115247. [PMID: 37421918 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of marine debris in the stomach contents of young male and female Spheniscus magellanicus stranded along the Atlantic coast of northern Argentina during its post-breeding exodus is reported for the first time. Marine debris was found in 15.5 % of 148 dead penguins, with a higher proportion of debris found in females when compared to males. A total of 81 debris items was recorded; plastic and paper each contributed with an equal number of debris whereas rubber contributed with a single item. Chemical identification performed using FTIR/ATR revealed that plastic items were largely LDPE and PA; other polymers included HDPE, PP and PS. The average length of fragmented plastic debris are in line with those reported from penguins stranded along the southern Brazilian coasts. Our study indicates that loads of ingested marine debris were roughly five times lower when compared to the estimates for the species in Brazilian beaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pablo Seco Pon
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata-CONICET, Rodríguez Peña 4046, nivel 1 (B7602GSD), Argentina.
| | - Vera Alejandra Álvarez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (INTEMA), CONICET, Av. Colón 10850 (B7600XAJ), Argentina
| | - Andrés Torres Nicolini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (INTEMA), CONICET, Av. Colón 10850 (B7600XAJ), Argentina
| | | | - Germán Oscar García
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata-CONICET, Rodríguez Peña 4046, nivel 1 (B7602GSD), Argentina
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2
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Lavers JL, de Jersey AM, Jones NR, Stewart LG, Charlton-Howard HS, Grant ML, Woehler EJ. Ingested plastics in beach-washed Fairy Prions Pachyptila turtur from Tasmania. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 184:114096. [PMID: 36113176 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114096] [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: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plastic is an omnipresent pollutant in marine ecosystems and is widely documented to be ingested among seabird species. Procellariiformes are particularly vulnerable to plastic ingestion, which can cause internal damage, starvation, and occasionally mortality. In this study, 34 fledgling Fairy Prions (Pachyptila turtur) recovered during a wreck event in south-eastern Tasmania in 2022 were examined for ingested plastics and body condition (e.g., wing chord length). While many of the birds exhibited poor body condition, this was not correlated with the count or mass of ingested plastics. We hypothesise the marine heatwave event, and resulting lack of prey, contributed to bird body condition and subsequent mortality. We provide some of the first data on the size of individual plastic particles ingested by seabirds and make recommendations for future studies to report this important metric in a consistent manner that ensures data are comparable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Lavers
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia.
| | - Alix M de Jersey
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Liverpool Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | - Nina R Jones
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia
| | - Lillian G Stewart
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia
| | - Hayley S Charlton-Howard
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia
| | - Megan L Grant
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, School Road, Newnham, Tasmania 7248, Australia
| | - Eric J Woehler
- BirdLife Tasmania, GPO Box 68, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
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3
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Seabirds Health and Conservation Medicine in Brazil. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Clairbaux M, Mathewson P, Porter W, Fort J, Strøm H, Moe B, Fauchald P, Descamps S, Helgason HH, Bråthen VS, Merkel B, Anker-Nilssen T, Bringsvor IS, Chastel O, Christensen-Dalsgaard S, Danielsen J, Daunt F, Dehnhard N, Erikstad KE, Ezhov A, Gavrilo M, Krasnov Y, Langset M, Lorentsen SH, Newell M, Olsen B, Reiertsen TK, Systad GH, Thórarinsson TL, Baran M, Diamond T, Fayet AL, Fitzsimmons MG, Frederiksen M, Gilchrist HG, Guilford T, Huffeldt NP, Jessopp M, Johansen KL, Kouwenberg AL, Linnebjerg JF, Major HL, Tranquilla LM, Mallory M, Merkel FR, Montevecchi W, Mosbech A, Petersen A, Grémillet D. North Atlantic winter cyclones starve seabirds. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3964-3971.e3. [PMID: 34520704 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Each winter, the North Atlantic Ocean is the stage for numerous cyclones, the most severe ones leading to seabird mass-mortality events called "winter wrecks."1-3 During these, thousands of emaciated seabird carcasses are washed ashore along European and North American coasts. Winter cyclones can therefore shape seabird population dynamics4,5 by affecting survival rates as well as the body condition of surviving individuals and thus their future reproduction. However, most often the geographic origins of impacted seabirds and the causes of their deaths remain unclear.6 We performed the first ocean-basin scale assessment of cyclone exposure in a seabird community by coupling winter tracking data for ∼1,500 individuals of five key North Atlantic seabird species (Alle alle, Fratercula arctica, Uria aalge, Uria lomvia, and Rissa tridactyla) and cyclone locations. We then explored the energetic consequences of different cyclonic conditions using a mechanistic bioenergetics model7 and tested the hypothesis that cyclones dramatically increase seabird energy requirements. We demonstrated that cyclones of high intensity impacted birds from all studied species and breeding colonies during winter but especially those aggregating in the Labrador Sea, the Davis Strait, the surroundings of Iceland, and the Barents Sea. Our broad-scale analyses suggested that cyclonic conditions do not increase seabird energy requirements, implying that they die because of the unavailability of their prey and/or their inability to feed during cyclones. Our study provides essential information on seabird cyclone exposure in a context of marked cyclone regime changes due to global warming.8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Clairbaux
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France.
| | - Paul Mathewson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Warren Porter
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Hallvard Strøm
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, PO Box 6606 Langnes, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Børge Moe
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Per Fauchald
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Sebastien Descamps
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, PO Box 6606 Langnes, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Hálfdán H Helgason
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, PO Box 6606 Langnes, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Vegard S Bråthen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Benjamin Merkel
- Akvaplan-niva AS, Fram Centre, PO Box 6606 Langnes, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Tycho Anker-Nilssen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ingar S Bringsvor
- Norwegian Ornithological Society, Sandgata 30 B, 7012 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS/La Rochelle Univ, La Rochelle, France
| | | | - Jóhannis Danielsen
- Faroe Marine Research Institute, PO Box 3051, Nóatún 1, 110 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Francis Daunt
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik EH26 0QB, UK
| | - Nina Dehnhard
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kjell Einar Erikstad
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Alexey Ezhov
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, 17 Vladimirskaya Street, 183010 Murmansk, Russia
| | - Maria Gavrilo
- Association Maritime Heritage, Saint Petersburg, Russia; National Park Russian Arctic, 57 Sovetskikh Kosmonavtove Avenue, Archangelsk, Russia
| | - Yuri Krasnov
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, 17 Vladimirskaya Street, 183010 Murmansk, Russia
| | - Magdalene Langset
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Svein-H Lorentsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Mark Newell
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik EH26 0QB, UK
| | - Bergur Olsen
- Faroe Marine Research Institute, PO Box 3051, Nóatún 1, 110 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Tone K Reiertsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Geir Helge Systad
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Mark Baran
- Atlantic Laboratory for Avian Research, University of New Brunswick, PO Box 4400, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Tony Diamond
- Atlantic Laboratory for Avian Research, University of New Brunswick, PO Box 4400, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Annette L Fayet
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Michelle G Fitzsimmons
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 6 Bruce Street, Mount Pearl, NL A1N 4T3, Canada
| | - Morten Frederiksen
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Hugh G Gilchrist
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tim Guilford
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Nicholas P Huffeldt
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Mark Jessopp
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Field, North Mall, Cork, Ireland; MaREI Centre, Environmental Research Inst., Univ. College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Kasper L Johansen
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Jannie F Linnebjerg
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Heather L Major
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Brunswick, PO Box 5050, Saint John, NB E2L 4L5, Canada
| | | | - Mark Mallory
- Biology, Acadia University, 15 University Avenue, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Flemming R Merkel
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - William Montevecchi
- Psychology and Biology Departments, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Anders Mosbech
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - David Grémillet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS/La Rochelle Univ, La Rochelle, France; Percy FitzPatrick Institute, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa.
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5
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Drivers of bat roles in Neotropical seed dispersal networks: abundance is more important than functional traits. Oecologia 2020; 193:189-198. [PMID: 32405932 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04662-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
While functional traits can facilitate or constrain interactions between pair of species in ecological communities, relative abundances regulate the probabilities of encounter among individuals. However, the relative importance of traits and relative abundances for the role species play in seed dispersion networks remains poorly explored. Here, we analyzed 20 Neotropical seed dispersal networks distributed from Mexico to southeastern Brazil to evaluate how relative abundance and functional traits influence bat species' roles in seed dispersal networks. We tested how bat relative abundance and traits relate to species contribution to between-module (c metric) and within-module connectivity (z metric) and their position and potential to mediate indirect effects between species (betweenness centrality). Our results indicate that relative abundance is the main determinant of the role bats play in the networks, while traits such as aspect ratio show modest yet statistically significant importance in predicting specific roles. Moreover, all seed dispersal networks presented two or three superabundant obligatory frugivore species that interacted with a high number of plants. The modest influence of the functional traits on species' roles is likely related to the low variation of morphological traits related to foraging ecology, which reduces the chances of morphological mismatching between consumers and resources in the system. In this scenario, abundant bats have higher chances of encountering resources and being capable of consuming them which leads such species to play critical roles in the community by acting as module hubs and network connectors.
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6
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Piatt JF, Parrish JK, Renner HM, Schoen SK, Jones TT, Arimitsu ML, Kuletz KJ, Bodenstein B, García-Reyes M, Duerr RS, Corcoran RM, Kaler RSA, McChesney GJ, Golightly RT, Coletti HA, Suryan RM, Burgess HK, Lindsey J, Lindquist K, Warzybok PM, Jahncke J, Roletto J, Sydeman WJ. Extreme mortality and reproductive failure of common murres resulting from the northeast Pacific marine heatwave of 2014-2016. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0226087. [PMID: 31940310 PMCID: PMC6961838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
About 62,000 dead or dying common murres (Uria aalge), the trophically dominant fish-eating seabird of the North Pacific, washed ashore between summer 2015 and spring 2016 on beaches from California to Alaska. Most birds were severely emaciated and, so far, no evidence for anything other than starvation was found to explain this mass mortality. Three-quarters of murres were found in the Gulf of Alaska and the remainder along the West Coast. Studies show that only a fraction of birds that die at sea typically wash ashore, and we estimate that total mortality approached 1 million birds. About two-thirds of murres killed were adults, a substantial blow to breeding populations. Additionally, 22 complete reproductive failures were observed at multiple colonies region-wide during (2015) and after (2016-2017) the mass mortality event. Die-offs and breeding failures occur sporadically in murres, but the magnitude, duration and spatial extent of this die-off, associated with multi-colony and multi-year reproductive failures, is unprecedented and astonishing. These events co-occurred with the most powerful marine heatwave on record that persisted through 2014-2016 and created an enormous volume of ocean water (the "Blob") from California to Alaska with temperatures that exceeded average by 2-3 standard deviations. Other studies indicate that this prolonged heatwave reduced phytoplankton biomass and restructured zooplankton communities in favor of lower-calorie species, while it simultaneously increased metabolically driven food demands of ectothermic forage fish. In response, forage fish quality and quantity diminished. Similarly, large ectothermic groundfish were thought to have increased their demand for forage fish, resulting in greater top-predator demands for diminished forage fish resources. We hypothesize that these bottom-up and top-down forces created an "ectothermic vise" on forage species leading to their system-wide scarcity and resulting in mass mortality of murres and many other fish, bird and mammal species in the region during 2014-2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F. Piatt
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Julia K. Parrish
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, COASST, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Heather M. Renner
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Homer, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Sarah K. Schoen
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Timothy T. Jones
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, COASST, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Mayumi L. Arimitsu
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Kathy J. Kuletz
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Barbara Bodenstein
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | | | - Rebecca S. Duerr
- International Bird Rescue, San Francisco Bay Center, Fairfield, California, United States of America
| | - Robin M. Corcoran
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Robb S. A. Kaler
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Gerard J. McChesney
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Fremont, California, United States of America
| | - Richard T. Golightly
- Department of Wildlife, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, United States of America
| | | | - Robert M. Suryan
- NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Auk Bay Laboratories, Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Hillary K. Burgess
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, COASST, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jackie Lindsey
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, COASST, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, BeachCOMBERS, Moss Landing, California, United States of America
| | - Kirsten Lindquist
- NOAA Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Beach Watch, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Peter M. Warzybok
- Point Blue Conservation Science, Petaluma, CA, United States of America
| | - Jaime Jahncke
- Point Blue Conservation Science, Petaluma, CA, United States of America
| | - Jan Roletto
- NOAA Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Beach Watch, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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7
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Tavares DC, Moura JF, Merico A, Siciliano S. Mortality of seabirds migrating across the tropical Atlantic in relation to oceanographic processes. Anim Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- D. C. Tavares
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research Bremen Germany
| | - J. F. Moura
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research Bremen Germany
| | - A. Merico
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research Bremen Germany
- Department of Physics & Earth Science Jacobs University Bremen Germany
| | - S. Siciliano
- Laboratório de Enterobactérias Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz Rio de Janeiro Brazil
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8
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Laméris DW, Tagg N, Kuenbou JK, Sterck EHM, Willie J. Drivers affecting mammal community structure and functional diversity under varied conservation efforts in a tropical rainforest in Cameroon. Anim Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. W. Laméris
- Animal Ecology Research Group Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
- Centre for Research & Conservation (CRC) Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) Antwerp Belgium
| | - N. Tagg
- Centre for Research & Conservation (CRC) Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) Antwerp Belgium
- Association de la Protection de Grands Singes (APGS) Yaoundé Cameroon
| | - J. K. Kuenbou
- Department of Forestry Dschang University Dschang Cameroon
| | - E. H. M. Sterck
- Animal Ecology Research Group Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
- Ethology Research Biomedical Primate Research Centre Rijswijk The Netherlands
| | - J. Willie
- Centre for Research & Conservation (CRC) Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) Antwerp Belgium
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit Ghent University Ghent Belgium
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9
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Moura JF, Tavares DC, Lemos LS, Acevedo-Trejos E, Saint'Pierre TD, Siciliano S, Merico A. Interspecific variation of essential and non-essential trace elements in sympatric seabirds. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 242:470-479. [PMID: 30005259 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.06.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2017] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Chemical pollution is a growing issue for ocean ecosystems, threatening especially apex predators because they bioaccumulate persistent chemical pollutants such as non-essential trace elements. The trophic position is thus a key aspect when assessing the impacts of environmental pollution in marine organisms. Here we investigate the differences in the concentrations of essential (Cu, Cr, Se, and Zn) and non-essential elements (Hg, Al, As, Cd, and Sr), in muscular and hepatic tissues of four sympatric non-migratory seabirds (namely Sula leucogaster, Larus dominicanus, Fregata magnificens, and Thalasseus acuflavidus), which were found stranded along the Brazilian coast. The observed hepatic and muscular interspecific differences in elemental concentrations indicated that these sympatric seabirds are differently exposed to persistent contaminants circulating in the food web due to differences with respect to known feeding behaviours and prey preferences. Moreover, we found a consistent co-accumulative relationship between Se and Hg molar levels in liver tissues with mean Se:Hg molar ratio above 1. This relationship supports previous studies indicating that Se, via the formation of SeHg complexes, plays an essential biochemical role in the detoxification process of methyl mercury in seabirds. Our results suggest that feeding behaviour is an important factor associated to the interspecific differences of trace element concentrations in seabirds. However, traits other than feeding preferences (e.g. age) may also play an important role in the accumulation of these elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jailson F Moura
- Systems Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Davi C Tavares
- Systems Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Leila S Lemos
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, 97365, USA
| | | | | | | | - Agostino Merico
- Systems Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany; Faculty of Physics & Earth Sciences, Jacobs University Bremen, Germany
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10
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Moura JF, Tavares DC, Lemos LS, Silveira VVB, Siciliano S, Hauser-Davis RA. Variation in mercury concentration in juvenile Magellanic penguins during their migration path along the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 238:397-403. [PMID: 29587210 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The vulnerability of seabirds related to their migratory dynamics is frequently linked to environmental problems along the migration path. In this context, Magellanic penguins (Sphenicus magellanicus) seem to be vulnerable to an extensive range of environmental disturbances during their northward migration along the Atlantic waters of South America, which include by catch, marine debris ingestion, overfishing and environmental contamination. In this study, we investigate mercury accumulation in muscle and hepatic tissues of juveniles penguins collected along the Brazilian coast during three migratory seasonal years (2006, 2008 and 2012) and three areas along a latitudinal gradient. We found significant differences in Hg levels across the years, with higher hepatic Hg levels found in tissues of penguins sampled in 2008. The higher Hg levels in samples of penguins from 2008 might be attributed to variations in body condition or Hg uptake, associated with the trophic imbalance linked to an extreme El Niño event during that year. Significant differences in Hg accumulation across the latitudinal areas were also observed. The penguins sampled at the farthest area from the breeding ground presented the higher levels of Hg and also the poorest body condition. Body condition and other traits may influence the levels of chemical pollutants and decrease the migratory success rate in the juvenile age phase, compromising population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jailson F Moura
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research - ZMT, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Davi C Tavares
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research - ZMT, Bremen, Germany
| | - Leila S Lemos
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Newport, USA
| | | | | | - Rachel A Hauser-Davis
- Centro de Estudos da Saúde do Trabalhador e Ecologia Humana, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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11
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Cardoso MD, Lemos LS, Roges EM, de Moura JF, Tavares DC, Matias CAR, Rodrigues DP, Siciliano S. A comprehensive survey of Aeromonas sp. and Vibrio sp. in seabirds from southeastern Brazil: outcomes for public health. J Appl Microbiol 2018; 124:1283-1293. [PMID: 29356247 DOI: 10.1111/jam.13705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To perform a microbiological survey regarding the presence, prevalence and characterization of Aeromonas sp. and Vibrio sp. in debilitated wrecked marine birds recovered from the centre-north coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODS AND RESULTS Swabs obtained from 116 alive and debilitated wrecked marine birds, comprising 19 species, from the study area were evaluated by biochemical methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests and pathogenicity gene screening were performed for bacterial strains of public health importance. Vibrio sp. and Aeromonas sp. were identified, as well as certain pathogenic genes and resistance to selected antimicrobials. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that the identified bacteria, mainly Vibrio sp., are fairly prevalent and widespread among several species of seabirds and highlights the importance of migratory birds in bacterial dispersion. In addition, it demonstrates the importance of the bacterial strains regarding their pathogenic potential. Therefore, seabirds can act as bacterial reservoirs, and their monitoring is of the utmost importance in a public health context. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The study comprehensively evaluates the importance of seabirds as bacteria of public health importance reservoirs, since birds comprising several pathogenic bacterial species were evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Cardoso
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Pública e Meio Ambiente, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - L S Lemos
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR, USA
| | - E M Roges
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional de Enteroinfecções Bacterianas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - J F de Moura
- Systems Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research-ZMT, Bremen, Germany
| | - D C Tavares
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - C A R Matias
- Departamento de Epidemiologia e Saúde Pública, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - D P Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional de Enteroinfecções Bacterianas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - S Siciliano
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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12
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Di Beneditto APM, Siciliano S. Marine debris boost in juvenile Magellanic penguins stranded in south-eastern Brazil in less than a decade: Insights into feeding habits and habitat use. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 125:330-333. [PMID: 28958439 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) is a marine sentinel for the southern Atlantic Ocean that is a proxy of environmental quality. The presence of marine debris (macro-debris) in the stomach contents of emaciated juvenile penguins stranded from 21°S to 23°S was compared at different times (2000 and 2008), and the debris ingestion pathway was determined. The frequency of marine debris in the stomachs doubled in less than a decade, and flexible plastics remained the main ingested item over time (68-70%). The pelagic octopus, Argonauta nodosa, which inhabits the sea surface, was the most important prey species recovered in the stomach contents. The poor physical condition of the penguins that reach the northern migration limit (study area) reduces the diving capacity of the animals and increases their vulnerability to debris ingestion. Considering their preferred prey and physical condition, we conclude that the penguins likely ingested the marine debris in surface waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paula Madeira Di Beneditto
- Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, CBB, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Av. Alberto Lamego 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013-620, Brazil.
| | - Salvatore Siciliano
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, Laboratório de Enterobactérias, Pavilhão Rocha Lima, 3°. andar, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-360, Brazil
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13
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Flint J, Flint M, Limpus CJ, Mills PC. The impact of environmental factors on marine turtle stranding rates. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182548. [PMID: 28771635 PMCID: PMC5542510 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, tropical and subtropical regions have experienced an increased frequency and intensity in extreme weather events, ranging from severe drought to protracted rain depressions and cyclones, these coincided with an increased number of marine turtles subsequently reported stranded. This study investigated the relationship between environmental variables and marine turtle stranding. The environmental variables examined in this study, in descending order of importance, were freshwater discharge, monthly mean maximum and minimum air temperatures, monthly average daily diurnal air temperature difference and rainfall for the latitudinal hotspots (-27°, -25°, -23°, -19°) along the Queensland coast as well as for major embayments within these blocks. This study found that marine turtle strandings can be linked to these environmental variables at different lag times (3-12 months), and that cumulative (months added together for maximum lag) and non-cumulative (single month only) effects cause different responses. Different latitudes also showed different responses of marine turtle strandings, both in response direction and timing.Cumulative effects of freshwater discharge in all latitudes resulted in increased strandings 10-12 months later. For latitudes -27°, -25° and -23° non-cumulative effects for discharge resulted in increased strandings 7-12 months later. Latitude -19° had different results for the non-cumulative bay with strandings reported earlier (3-6 months). Monthly mean maximum and minimum air temperatures, monthly average daily diurnal air temperature difference and rainfall had varying results for each examined latitude. This study will allow first responders and resource managers to be better equipped to deal with increased marine turtle stranding rates following extreme weather events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaylene Flint
- Veterinary-Marine Animal Research, Teaching and Investigation (Vet-MARTI) Unit, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Mark Flint
- Veterinary-Marine Animal Research, Teaching and Investigation (Vet-MARTI) Unit, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Preventative Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Colin J. Limpus
- Veterinary-Marine Animal Research, Teaching and Investigation (Vet-MARTI) Unit, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
- Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Paul C. Mills
- Veterinary-Marine Animal Research, Teaching and Investigation (Vet-MARTI) Unit, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
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14
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Tavares DC, de Moura JF, Merico A, Siciliano S. Incidence of marine debris in seabirds feeding at different water depths. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 119:68-73. [PMID: 28431744 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Marine debris such as plastic fragments and fishing gears are accumulating in the ocean at alarming rates. This study assesses the incidence of debris in the gastrointestinal tracts of seabirds feeding at different depths and found stranded along the Brazilian coast in the period 2010-2013. More than half (55%) of the species analysed, corresponding to 16% of the total number of individuals, presented plastic particles in their gastrointestinal tracts. The incidence of debris was higher in birds feeding predominantly at intermediate (3-6m) and deep (20-100m) waters than those feeding at surface (<2m). These results suggest that studying the presence of debris in organisms mainly feeding at the ocean surface provides a limited view about the risks that this form of pollution has on marine life and highlight the ubiquitous and three-dimensional distribution of plastic in the oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C Tavares
- Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil.
| | - J F de Moura
- Systems Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - A Merico
- Systems Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany; Physics & Earth Sciences, Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany
| | - S Siciliano
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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