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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to The need for a sentinel species: considerations towards regional bioindicators
ClearThe need for a sentinel species: considerations towards regional bioindicators
Researchers examined the case for establishing sentinel species as regional bioindicators for microplastic monitoring, evaluating candidate organisms including fish and shellfish for their suitability based on geographic range, abundance, ecological relevance, and ability to reflect the bioavailable fraction of marine litter.
Sentinel species selection for monitoring microplastic pollution: A review on one health approach
This review evaluates how sentinel species, organisms used as biological indicators, can be selected to monitor microplastic pollution across different environments using a One Health approach that connects ecosystem, animal, and human health. Researchers assessed various candidate species including mussels, fish, and birds based on their ability to accumulate and reflect microplastic contamination. The study provides a framework for choosing the most informative species to track plastic pollution's impact across interconnected ecosystems.
Bioindicators selection in the strategies for monitoring microplastic pollution
Researchers reviewed strategies for selecting the best 'sentinel' species — from mussels to earthworms — to serve as biological indicators of microplastic and nanoplastic pollution in both aquatic and land environments. Choosing the right species based on behavior, habitat, and exposure pathways is essential for building consistent, comparable monitoring programs that can track plastic pollution over time.
Bioindicators for monitoring marine litter ingestion and its impacts on Mediterranean biodiversity
Researchers reviewed existing knowledge of marine litter ingestion impacts on Mediterranean biodiversity and proposed a new integrated monitoring framework using bioindicator species, identifying major knowledge gaps in understudied habitats and sub-regions while outlining a threefold approach to simultaneously measure plastic presence and its sub-lethal effects on organisms.
Microplastics in Global Marine Waters and Biota: Effectiveness of Potential Bioindicators in Mirroring Local Pollution Levels
This review assessed the global occurrence of microplastics in marine waters and biota and evaluated the effectiveness of potential bioindicator species for monitoring plastic pollution. The authors find that standardizing bioindicator protocols is essential for tracking the effectiveness of microplastic mitigation efforts.
Progress in selecting marine bioindicators for nanoplastics ecological risk assessment
Researchers reviewed the state of knowledge on nanoplastics — plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer — in marine environments, identifying major gaps in our ability to measure them and assess their ecological risks. The review calls for more realistic exposure studies using diverse polymer types and chronic low-dose conditions, and outlines which marine species could serve as best indicators for nanoplastic monitoring.
Advancing mussel-based monitoring: integrating litter and harmful algal bloom data into a multi-stressor assessment of England and Wales
Researchers analyzed mussel microplastic data from England and Wales within a multi-stressor framework that also included marine litter and harmful algal bloom data, finding that mussels are suitable sentinel organisms for integrated marine pollution monitoring.
Microplastic toxicity: A review of the role of marine sentinel species in assessing the environmental and public health impacts
Researchers reviewed how marine animals — particularly seabirds like the herring gull — can serve as sentinel species to monitor the real-world health effects of microplastic exposure across ecosystems. Because plastic pollution affects biological pathways shared across many species including humans, studying wildlife that naturally ingests varying amounts of plastic offers valuable insights into long-term toxicity risks.
Promising indicators for monitoring microplastic pollution
This review evaluated promising biological and ecological indicators for monitoring microplastic pollution, arguing that standardized indicator species and metrics are needed to better track microplastic abundance, distribution, and accumulation in ecosystems.
One is not enough: Monitoring microplastic ingestion by fish needs a multispecies approach
Researchers found that monitoring microplastic ingestion by fish requires a multispecies approach, as different feeding guilds — benthic, demersal, and pelagic — accumulate microplastics at varying rates and sizes, making any single-species indicator insufficient for assessing marine contamination.
Mangrove mud clam as an effective sentinel species for monitoring changes in coastal microplastic pollution
Researchers collected mangrove mud clams from 18 stations along China's Leizhou Peninsula to evaluate their effectiveness as sentinel organisms for monitoring coastal microplastic pollution. They found that microplastic contamination in the clams correlated with local pollution levels, making them useful biological indicators. The study suggests that this widely distributed species could serve as a standardized tool for tracking changes in coastal microplastic contamination over time.
Comparative analysis of microplastic pollution in commercially relevant seafood across different geographical regions
Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution in commercially important seafood species, characterizing particle morphology and polymer composition across species. The study found microplastics in all species sampled, with differences in contamination levels linked to feeding ecology and habitat.
Monitoring Microplastics and Nanoplastics in a Marine Realm
This review examines the biomonitoring potential of a wide range of marine organisms — from low-trophic-level species to apex predators — as sentinel species for tracking microplastic and nanoplastic pollution in the ocean under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The authors synthesize research on microplastic ingestion, accumulation, uptake, and egestion to guide selection of sentinel species and inform policymakers and environmental managers.
Tracing Microplastic Pollution Through Animals: A Narrative Review of Bioindicator Approaches
This review evaluates animals that have been proposed as bioindicators for monitoring microplastic pollution across aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial environments. Researchers found that bivalves like clams and mussels are among the most suitable indicators due to their wide distribution, effective microplastic retention, and well-established analytical methods. The study provides a framework for selecting appropriate sentinel species based on ecological, physiological, and methodological criteria.
Hit the target: A new experimental method to select bioindicators of microplastic ingestion by marine fish
Researchers developed a scoring system to identify the best fish species for monitoring microplastic pollution in the marine environment. Testing eight fish species from the central Tyrrhenian Sea, they evaluated factors like how readily each species ingests microplastics and how well they reflect local contamination levels. The approach aims to help standardize biomonitoring programs across different marine regions as required by European environmental legislation.
Otters as bioindicators of estuarine health: Scientific gaps, field-based insights, and a framework for future research
This review evaluates otters as bioindicators of estuarine health, examining their potential to signal ecosystem degradation from pollution including microplastics. Researchers identified scientific gaps in current monitoring approaches and proposed a framework for using semi-aquatic mammals as sentinel species for tracking environmental contamination in estuary ecosystems.
Using the Asian clam as an indicator of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems
Researchers proposed the Asian clam as a bioindicator species for monitoring microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems, building on prior findings of high contamination rates in these organisms. Using a widely distributed filter feeder as a sentinel species could help standardize freshwater microplastic monitoring the way mussels are used in marine settings.
Assessment of potential ecological risk for microplastic particles
Researchers applied an ecological risk assessment framework to evaluate the hazard posed by microplastic particles across multiple environmental compartments, using species sensitivity distributions and environmental concentration data. The assessment highlighted specific particle types and size ranges that present the greatest ecological risk.
Recherche D’especes Bioindicatrices De La Pollution Plastique Dans Un Contexte Perlicole En Polynesie Française
Researchers investigated bioindicator species for plastic pollution in the context of pearl aquaculture in French Polynesia, where the shift from natural to plastic materials since the 1990s has introduced large quantities of plastics into lagoon environments with inadequate waste management. The study identified candidate organisms that accumulate or respond to plastic contamination in pearl farm settings, offering a biological monitoring tool for this economically significant and ecologically sensitive coastal industry.
Barnacles as silent sentinels of microplastic pollution: Evidence from Gujarat coast, India and a global meta-analysis of sessile marine species
This study found microplastics in all eight barnacle species sampled across 13 coastal sites in Gujarat, India, with fibers and fragments of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene predominating. A global meta-analysis confirmed that sessile marine organisms like barnacles serve as reliable bioindicators of local microplastic contamination levels.
Baseline assessment of microplastics and biochemical response of Anadara antiquata as a sentinel species for biomonitoring in Fiji
Researchers established a baseline assessment of microplastic contamination in a commonly consumed shellfish species in Fiji, examining both particle levels and biochemical stress responses. They found microplastics present in all samples and observed measurable biochemical changes in the organisms. The study provides important first data on microplastic pollution in Pacific Island seafood, a region that has been largely overlooked in monitoring efforts.
Pollution Biomarkers in the Framework of Marine Biodiversity Conservation: State of Art and Perspectives
This review examines how molecular and cellular biomarkers can be used to detect the effects of chemical pollution, including from microplastics, on marine organisms and biodiversity. The study highlights the importance of integrating biomarker data into environmental monitoring frameworks to better assess pollution impacts on marine ecosystems.
Monitoring microplastic pollution: The potential and limitations of Nephrops norvegicus
This review assessed the use of the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) as a bioindicator for microplastic pollution monitoring, evaluating both the advantages of this commercially important species and the limitations of using gastric pouches for consistent surveillance.
Indicators to assess temporal variability in marine connectivity processes: A semi-theoretical approach
Not relevant to microplastics — this is an oceanography study developing indicators to characterize temporal variability in marine connectivity for designing effective marine protected area networks in the Mediterranean.