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Dinámica temporal de los hábitos tróficos e incidencia de microplásticos en bagres (Ariidae) en la bahía de Buenaventura, Pacífico colombiano
Summary
Four species of catfish in Colombia's Buenaventura Bay were found to have ingested microplastics, with rates of 9–13% across species and higher ingestion in adults during the rainy season. The finding that commercially harvested fish in a bay heavily used for artisanal fishing contain microplastics raises direct food safety concerns for the coastal communities that depend on these species as a primary protein source.
Contextualization: The bay of Buenaventura shows evidence of microplastic pollution, which makes this contaminant available to interact with fish such as catfish, on which local communities depend as a source of income and livelihood. Knowledge gap: In the bay of Buenaventura, little has been explored regarding the changes in feeding habits and the incidence of microplastics caused by temporal variations. Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the temporal variations in trophic ecology and microplastic incidence in four species of catfish. Methodology: Four samplings were carried out at different times and in different areas of the estuary. Measurements of the water's physicochemical parameters were taken, and fish samples were collected using three types of artisanal fishing gear: handline, trawl net and gillnet. Stomach content was analysed and the presence of microplastics was detected. Results and conclusions: It was found that crustaceans were constant prey for all species, while detritus was only consumed by C. multiradiatus and N. troschelli. Additionally, for the species C. multiradiatus and C. manglarensis, a positive correlation was observed between the ingestion of crustaceans and salinity, which is associated with more marine conditions that favor the abundance and diversity of crustaceans. In contrast, for B. panamensis, a negative correlation was found between crustacean consumption and salinity and transparency, suggesting that it mainly feeds in the inner estuary zone to reduce competition for resources. Microplastic ingestion was observed in all four species: B. panamensis (13%), N. troschelli (11%), C. multiradiatus (10%), and C. manglarensis (9%). Juveniles showed the highest ingestion during the dry season (0.2 ± 0.1 particles per individual), while adults showed higher ingestion during the rainy season (0.4 ± 0.1 particles per individual). These results raise growing concerns about the sustainability of fishing in the Pacific region