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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Food & Water Marine & Wildlife Policy & Risk Sign in to save

Microplastic in an apex predator: evidence from barn owl (Tyto alba) pellets in two sites with different levels of anthropization

Research Square (Research Square) 2023 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 30 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Corrado Battisti, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Massimiliano Scalici, Patrizia Menegoni, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Patrizia Menegoni, Corrado Battisti, Corrado Battisti, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Patrizia Menegoni, Patrizia Menegoni, Corrado Battisti, Corrado Battisti, G Dodaro, G Dodaro, Loris Pietrelli, Patrizia Menegoni, Massimiliano Scalici, Patrizia Menegoni, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Corrado Battisti, Loris Pietrelli, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Loris Pietrelli, Patrizia Menegoni, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Ilaria Pelosi, Ilaria Pelosi, Patrizia Menegoni, Ilaria Pelosi, Ilaria Pelosi, Patrizia Menegoni, Patrizia Menegoni, Patrizia Menegoni, Patrizia Menegoni, Patrizia Menegoni, Massimiliano Scalici, Patrizia Menegoni, Patrizia Menegoni, Loris Pietrelli, Corrado Battisti, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Massimiliano Scalici, Patrizia Menegoni, Massimiliano Scalici, Patrizia Menegoni, Corrado Battisti, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Massimiliano Scalici, Patrizia Menegoni, Corrado Battisti, Corrado Battisti, Massimiliano Scalici, Patrizia Menegoni, Massimiliano Scalici, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Loris Pietrelli, Patrizia Menegoni, Patrizia Menegoni, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Patrizia Menegoni, Loris Pietrelli, Patrizia Menegoni, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Cristina Coccia Cristina Coccia Patrizia Menegoni, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Loris Pietrelli, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Loris Pietrelli, Corrado Battisti, Cristina Coccia Massimiliano Scalici, Massimiliano Scalici, Loris Pietrelli, Massimiliano Scalici, Loris Pietrelli, Cristina Coccia

Summary

This study found microplastics in barn owl (Tyto alba) pellets collected at two sites in Portugal with different levels of human activity. As apex predators in terrestrial food chains, barn owls accumulate microplastics from the small mammals they eat, demonstrating that microplastic contamination extends through land-based food webs.

Polymers
PBT PE PET PVC
Study Type Environmental

<title>Abstract</title> Plastic pollution in terrestrial and freshwater environments and its accumulation along food chains has been poorly studied in birds. The barn owl (<italic>Tyto alba</italic>) is an opportunistic and nocturnal apex predator feeding mostly on small mammals. In this note, we report the first evidence of microplastics (MPs) contamination in barn owl pellets collected in two sites with different levels of anthropization (low: natural landscape mosaic vs. high: extensive croplands). The following polymers have been recorded: Polyvinylchloride (PVC), Polyethylene (PE), Expanded Polyester (EPS), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT), Polyester, Viscose, and starch-based Biopolymer. We found significant higher MPs frequency and density (MPs items/total preyed biomass), in the most anthropized site. Our results suggest that pellet’ analysis may represent a cost-effective method for monitoring MP contamination along food chains in terrestrial ecosystems.

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