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Monitoring litter and microplastics in Arctic mammals and birds
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This review evaluates approaches for monitoring litter and microplastic ingestion in Arctic mammals and birds, assessing both the strengths and limitations of using wildlife as pollution indicators. Researchers found that while some species provide useful data on spatial and temporal pollution trends, monitoring programs need to be carefully designed to account for species-specific feeding behaviors and habitats. The study emphasizes the importance of standardized methods for tracking plastic pollution's impacts on Arctic biodiversity and the communities that rely on these animals for food.
Plastic pollution has been reported to affect Arctic mammals and birds. There are strengths and limitations to monitoring litter and microplastics using Arctic mammals and birds. One strength is the direct use of these data to understand the potential impacts on Arctic biodiversity as well as effects on human health, if selected species are consumed. Monitoring programs must be practically designed with all purposes in mind, and a spectrum of approaches and species will be required. Spatial and temporal trends of plastic pollution can be built on the information obtained from studies on northern fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis (Linnaeus, 1761)), a species that is an environmental indicator. To increase our understanding of the potential implications for human health, the species and locations chosen for monitoring should be selected based on the priorities of local communities. Monitoring programs under development should examine species for population level impacts in Arctic mammals and birds. Mammals and birds can be useful in source and surveillance monitoring via locally designed monitoring programs. We recommend future programs consider a range of monitoring objectives with mammals and birds as part of the suite of tools for monitoring litter and microplastics, plastic chemical additives, and effects, and for understanding sources.
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This workshop report examines the use of seabirds as indicators of plastic and microplastic pollution in Arctic marine environments, summarizing current monitoring methods and knowledge gaps. Seabirds accumulate plastics through ingestion, making them useful sentinels for tracking pollution trends.
Plastic and other anthropogenic debris in Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) faeces from Iceland
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Researchers examined fecal samples from Arctic foxes in Iceland across multiple years and regions and found plastic debris in about 5% of samples, but concluded that while foxes encounter plastic pollution, their feces are an imperfect monitoring tool because the source of ingested plastics — marine or terrestrial — is difficult to determine.
Future monitoring of litter and microplastics in the Arctic—challenges, opportunities, and strategies
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Researchers outlined the key challenges and future strategies for long-term monitoring of litter and microplastics in the Arctic, identifying gaps in standardization, data harmonization, knowledge of transport pathways, and environmental impact thresholds that must be addressed for effective pollution tracking.
An ecosystem-scale litter and microplastics monitoring plan under the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)
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Researchers reviewed the current state of litter and microplastic monitoring across eleven environmental compartments in the Arctic under the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), recommending that water, aquatic sediments, shorelines, and seabirds be prioritized as first-tier monitoring matrices to establish baseline data and detect spatial and temporal trends.
Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic
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This study examined whether Arctic seabirds that ingest microplastics also accumulate chemical contaminants carried by the plastic particles. The findings suggest that microplastics can act as vectors for delivering toxic chemicals to seabirds, adding to the burden of pollutants already present in Arctic food webs.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.