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Abstract
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is massively used, resulting in a new wave of litter: protective face masks and gloves. Here we present the first case of a fish entrapped in a medical glove, encountered during a canal clean-up in Leiden, The Netherlands. We also report the first cases of birds using medical face masks as nesting material, which were also found in the Dutch canals. To place these new findings in context, we collected online reported interactions of animals with PPE litter, since the start of the pandemic. This resulted in the first overview of cases of entanglement, entrapment and ingestion of COVID-19 litter by animals and the use of it as nesting material. We signal COVID-19 litter as a new threat to animal life as the materials designed to keep us safe are actually harming animals around us. To understand the full scale of this problem, we welcome anyone to contribute to our overview by submitting their observations online at www.covidlitter.com. To further prevent PPE litter, it is recommended that, when possible, reusable alternatives are used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Auke-Florian Hiemstra
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
- De Grachtwacht, 2312 GP Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Liselotte Rambonnet
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
- De Grachtwacht, 2312 GP Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Gravendeel
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute for Water and Wetland Research (IWWR), Radboud University, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Menno Schilthuizen
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
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Rambonnet L, Vink SC, Land-Zandstra AM, Bosker T. Making citizen science count: Best practices and challenges of citizen science projects on plastics in aquatic environments. Mar Pollut Bull 2019; 145:271-277. [PMID: 31590787 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.05.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
There is considerable scientific and societal concern about plastic pollution, which has resulted in citizen science projects to study the scale of the issue. Citizen science is a cost-effective way to gather data over a large geographical range while simultaneously raising public awareness on the problem. Because the experiences of researchers involved in these projects are not yet adequately covered, this paper presents the findings from ten semi-structured qualitative interviews with researchers leading a citizen science project on micro- or macroplastics. Our results show it is important to specify the goal(s) of the project and that expertise on communication and data science is needed. Furthermore, simple protocols, quality control, and engagement with volunteers and the public are key elements for successful projects. From these results, a framework with recommendations was drafted, which can be used by anyone who wants to develop or improve citizen science projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liselotte Rambonnet
- Science Communication and Society, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Suzanne C Vink
- Science Communication and Society, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Anne M Land-Zandstra
- Science Communication and Society, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Thijs Bosker
- Leiden University College, Leiden University, P.O. Box 13228, 2501 EE The Hague, the Netherlands; Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Miller JA, Freund C, Rambonnet L, Koets L, Barth N, van der Linden C, Geml J, Schilthuizen M, Burger R, Goossens B. Dispatch from the field II: the mystery of the red and blue Opadometa male (Araneae, Tetragnathidae, Opadometa sarawakensis). Biodivers Data J 2018:e24777. [PMID: 29674940 PMCID: PMC5904518 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.6.e24777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Males of Opadometa are difficult to associate with conspecific females, and sex-matching errors may persist in the taxonomic literature. Recommended best practices for definitive sex matching in this genus suggest finding a male in the web of a female, or better yet, mating pairs. New information A male Opadometa was observed hanging on a frame line of the web of a female Opadometa sarawakensis, a species for which the male was previously undescribed. This occurred during a tropical ecology field course held at the Danau Girang Field Centre in Sabah, Malaysia. A taxonomic description was completed as a course activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy A Miller
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Plazi.org, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - József Geml
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Menno Schilthuizen
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Taxon Expeditions, Leiden, Netherlands.,Universiti Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Richard Burger
- Danau Girang Field Centre, Sabah, Malaysia.,Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Benoit Goossens
- Danau Girang Field Centre, Sabah, Malaysia.,Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.,Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.,Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah, Malaysia
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