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Plastic pollution and ocean giants: Investigating the extent and impacts of plastic ingestion by marine megafauna
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Researchers investigated the extent and impacts of plastic pollution on ocean giants including large marine vertebrates such as whales, basking sharks, and manta rays, which are exposed to microplastics through filter feeding and ingestion of contaminated prey. The review found growing evidence of microplastic ingestion in these species, with potential consequences for their health and conservation.
Plastic production has exponentially increased since the 1950s when it became a popular material for household items. Misuse, mishandling and a lack of effective waste management has seen plastic pollution become extensive and persistent. Over the past 20 years, evidence of the negative effects plastic pollution is having on marine organisms has grown. It is estimated that over 900 species are impacted by marine debris, the majority of which is plastic. Marine megafauna are of particular concern given their importance in the functioning and maintenance of marine ecosystems. These large marine vertebrates, namely marine mammals (e.g. cetaceans and pinnipeds), elasmobranchs (sharks and rays), and marine turtles can act as sentinels for the marine environment indicating ecosystem health. In addition to plastic pollution, many of these species are already of conservation concern due to a range of anthropogenic pressures both historic and emerging. Plastic ingestion can lead to lethal and sub-lethal impacts, including intestinal blockage and internal injury, dietary dilution, malnutrition, exposure to chemical contaminants and increased susceptibility to disease and infection. There is a paucity of information on the fate and impacts of very small plastic particles, such as microplastics and nanoplastics, within large marine vertebrate gastrointestinal tracts. This PhD study aims to address this knowledge gap. The first step is to develop a robust and repeatable sampling methodology to examine the gastrointestinal tracts of large, stranded individuals for the presence of microplastics. Plastic debris will be quantified and characterised to infer potential sources. Further ambitions for this research include exploring techniques to examine digestive contents for the presence and fate of nanoplastics and investigating the link between ingested plastic and associated chemicals (eg. phthalates). Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/574288/document
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Plastic pollution and ocean giants: Investigating the extent and impacts of plastic ingestion by marine megafauna
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This review examined the extent to which large ocean-going animals such as whales and whale sharks ingest and are harmed by plastic pollution, synthesizing data from stranding records and feeding observations. The evidence indicates that plastic ingestion is widespread among ocean giants, with documented cases of mortality and sublethal effects.
Microplastics: No Small Problem for Filter-Feeding Megafauna
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This study highlights the emerging threat of microplastic pollution to filter-feeding marine megafauna, including mobulid rays, whale sharks, and baleen whales. These animals are particularly vulnerable because their feeding strategies cause them to ingest large volumes of water along with suspended microplastics and associated toxins. The authors call for more research and public awareness to understand the full scope of microplastic impacts on these flagship species.
Microplastics on the Menu: Plastics Pollute Indonesian Manta Ray and Whale Shark Feeding Grounds
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Plastic abundance was surveyed at feeding grounds for manta rays and whale sharks in three coastal Indonesian locations using plankton net trawls and visual surveys, finding microplastics throughout waters in a global marine biodiversity hotspot. The study highlights the risk posed by plastic pollution to large filter-feeding megafauna in one of the world's most plastic-polluted regions.
Large filter feeding marine organisms as indicators of microplastic in the pelagic environment: The case studies of the Mediterranean basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) and fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
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This study investigated whether baleen whales and basking sharks — large filter feeders — ingest microplastics in the Mediterranean and found evidence that both species are exposed to plastic contamination through their filtration feeding behavior. The authors used feeding ecology modeling to estimate plastic ingestion rates and identify associated toxicological risks.
The Impact of Microplastics on Filter-Feeding Megafauna
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Filter-feeding megafauna in the Mediterranean, including whale sharks and manta rays, ingest large quantities of microplastics while feeding near the surface where plastic concentrations are highest. These charismatic species serve as bioindicators of microplastic pollution and face direct physiological risk from chronic plastic ingestion and associated chemical contaminants.
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