We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastic exposure and body condition in white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) nestlings across anthropogenic landscapes in Scotland and Spain
Summary
Researchers measured microplastic levels in fecal samples from white-throated dipper nestlings sampled across areas with varying degrees of human land use in Scotland and Spain. Using statistical models that accounted for the nested structure of the data, they examined how land-use patterns relate to both microplastic exposure and chick body condition. The findings contribute to understanding how anthropogenic landscapes influence microplastic exposure in freshwater-dependent bird species.
In this study we quantified microplastic concentrations in faecal samples of white-throated dipper nestlings (Cinclus cinclus) sampled across gradients of anthropogenic land use in Scotland and northern Spain. We examined relationships between land-use composition, microplastic exposure and nestling body condition (SMI). Analyses were conducted using mixed-effects models to account for the hierarchical structure of the data (nestlings nested within nests, sites and catchments) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to summarise correlated land-use variables.