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Microplastics in faeces of European shags Gulosus aristotelis in central Norway
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Researchers analyzed microplastics in 36 fecal samples from European shag chicks in central Norway to quantify egested microplastics using a non-lethal sampling method. Microplastics were detected in the majority of samples, dominated by fibers, confirming that seabirds in Norwegian coastal waters are routinely ingesting plastic debris.
Plastic pollution is an increasing problem in the marine environment, and microplastics are frequently ingested by wildlife, including seabirds. Faeces are an increasingly used matrix to quantify egested microplastics. We investigated microplastics in 36 faeces samples from chicks of European shags (Gulosus aristotelis) sampled at Sklinna, central Norway in 2021. Small particles <300 μm (62 %) dominated the material. Out of 465 particles measured with Raman spectroscopy, 32 were identified as microplastics (21 fragments, 4 fibres). 69.4 % of faecal samples contained microplastics, with on average 17 microplastic particles per g faeces dry weight. Sixteen of the 36 samples originated from siblings sampled within the same hour, and plastic loads of these samples were more similar to each other compared to those from other individuals. This suggests that a sample from one chick is representative for all siblings at a given moment in time and proofs parental transfer of MP.
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The use of European shag pellets as indicators of microplastic fibers in the marine environment
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Synthetic fibers were found in pellets regurgitated by European shag seabirds in northern Spain, providing a non-lethal method for monitoring microplastic pollution in coastal marine environments. Seabird pellets could serve as a low-cost, repeatable indicator of local microplastic contamination.
Plastic ingestion in European shags (Gulosus aristotelis): Temporal patterns and possible trophic transfer via Labridae prey in northern Spain
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Researchers tracked diet composition and plastic ingestion in European shags across five non-consecutive years from 2006 to 2022 using stomach content analysis and FTIR polymer identification, finding that while prey use shifted over time, textile microfiber ingestion remained stable and chronic throughout — and that microplastic exposure may partly occur through trophic transfer from the consistently dominant labrid fish prey.
Garbage in guano? Microplastic debris found in faecal precursors of seabirds known to ingest plastics
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Microplastics including fibers and fragments were detected in faecal precursors (pellets) from seabirds known to ingest plastics, providing non-lethal evidence of plastic ingestion that could be used in monitoring programs. The method offers a practical way to assess plastic ingestion in protected seabird species without requiring destructive sampling.
Dataset: Plastic ingestion and diet composition in European shags (Gulosus aristotelis)
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Researchers compiled pellet-level data on prey composition and plastic debris — including microfibers by color — found in European shags collected in northern Spain from 2006 to 2022, providing a longitudinal dataset linking diet composition to plastic ingestion in a coastal seabird.
Dataset: Plastic ingestion and diet composition in European shags (Gulosus aristotelis)
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Researchers provide a 16-year dataset of regurgitated pellets from European shags in northern Spain, recording prey composition by family alongside counts of ingested microfibers by color to support analysis of plastic debris exposure in this seabird species.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.