Inter-Annual Variation in the Microplastics Abundance in Feces of the Baird's Tapir (Tapirus Bairdii) from the Selva Maya, México

Inter-annual variation in the microplastics abundance in feces of the Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) from the Selva Maya, México

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Researchers analyzed fecal samples from Baird's tapirs in a remote rainforest region of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and found microplastics in 68% of samples. Microplastic abundance increased by 72% between 2017 and 2018, demonstrating that plastic pollution is reaching even protected forest ecosystems and the wildlife that lives in them.

Does deforestation contribute to microplastic contamination in stream fish in the Southwestern Amazon?

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A study of 584 fish from 20 Amazon streams found that fish in deforested areas ingested significantly more microplastics than those in forested watersheds, with feeding strategy and seasonal flooding also influencing exposure. Deforestation not only threatens biodiversity directly but also increases wildlife exposure to plastic pollution, compounding the ecological damage of forest loss.

Ecological and Seasonal Patterns of Microplastic Ingestion in Fish Near a Port Region in the Brazilian Amazon

Microplastics in the sediments of the Tijuana River Basin, Mexico

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Researchers documented widespread microplastic contamination in the sediments of the Tijuana River, a binational waterway shared by Mexico and the United States, with fibers and polypropylene fragments being the most common types. Inadequate wastewater treatment and poor solid waste management were identified as the primary sources.

Microplastics pollution in the Pantanal

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Researchers documented the presence of microplastics in the Pantanal, one of the world's largest tropical wetlands in South America, suggesting that plastic pollution has reached even this remote and ecologically vital freshwater ecosystem.