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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Investigating the Presence and Trophic Transfer of Microplastics in Ex- and In-Situ North American Otters Through Scat and Diet Analysis
ClearMicroplastics, Alien Species and Amphibian Male-specific Predation in River Otter Diet (lutra Lutra). a Study of Two Populations in the Ticino Valley (north Italy) and Sila Massif (south Italy).
Researchers studied otter diet and distribution in two Italian rivers and found evidence that otters are consuming prey contaminated with microplastics and invasive species. The study highlights how predators at the top of freshwater food chains can accumulate plastic pollution through their diet.
Synthetic debris ingestion by carnivorous mammals in aquatic ecosystems: insights from the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in Europe
Field surveys found synthetic debris being ingested by carnivorous aquatic mammals, documenting microplastic and macroplastic consumption at upper levels of freshwater and marine food webs. The findings extend evidence of plastic ingestion to apex predators, raising concerns about accumulation and health effects in these species.
Investigating microplastic trophic transfer in marine top predators
Researchers investigated trophic transfer of microplastics in grey seals by analyzing digestive tracts of wild-caught Atlantic mackerel (fed to captive seals) alongside seal scat. Microplastics were detected in both prey fish and seal scat, providing empirical in natura evidence for trophic transfer in a marine top predator.
Investigating microplastic trophic transfer in marine top predators
Researchers investigated whether microplastics can transfer through the food chain by analyzing the scat of captive grey seals and the wild mackerel they were fed. They found microplastics in about half of the seal scat samples and a third of the fish, with similar particle types in both. The study suggests that trophic transfer is a plausible route for microplastics to move up marine food chains to top predators.
What goes in, must come out: Combining scat‐based molecular diet analysis and quantification of ingested microplastics in a marine top predator
By combining molecular diet analysis from seal scat with quantification of ingested microplastics, researchers found that a marine top predator was regularly ingesting plastic particles, with exposure likely mediated through prey species that had themselves ingested plastics. The study demonstrates trophic transfer of microplastics through a food chain to a marine mammal predator.
Microplastic loads in Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) feces—targeting a standardized protocol and first results from an alpine stream, the River Inn
Researchers developed a standardized method for extracting and analyzing microplastics from Eurasian otter feces to use these apex predators as indicators of aquatic pollution. Testing the method on 50 samples from Austria's River Inn, they found microplastics of various sizes and types, including fibers and tire wear particles, in every sample. The study suggests that otters can serve as effective bioindicators for tracking microplastic contamination in river ecosystems.
Microplastics in Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) spraints and their potential as a biomonitoring tool in freshwater systems
Researchers analyzed microplastics in Eurasian otter spraints from Irish freshwater systems, finding diverse polymer types and suggesting otter scat could serve as an effective biomonitoring tool for tracking microplastic contamination in rivers.
What goes in, must come out: Combining scat-based molecular diet analysis and quantification of ingested microplastics in a marine top predator
Researchers developed a combined methodology using DNA metabarcoding of grey seal scat and microplastic isolation to study dietary exposure of marine top predators to microplastics via trophic transfer. The pipeline successfully identified prey species and quantified microplastics from the same scat samples, enabling linked dietary and contamination analysis.
Modelling the transfer and accumulation of microplastics in a riverine freshwater food web
Researchers built a computer model of a river food web in Ireland to track how microplastics move from invertebrates through fish to otters, finding that microplastics do not appear to magnify in concentration as they travel up the food chain, though more data on how long organisms retain plastics is still needed.
An assessment of microplastics in fecal samples from polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in Canada's North
Researchers assessed the potential for plastic ingestion in polar bears from Canada by analyzing fecal samples, first validating protocols to confirm reliable microplastic recovery from bear feces. Microplastics including films, foam, and fragments were detected in polar bear feces, providing the first evidence of plastic ingestion by this Arctic apex predator.
Microplastic exposure across trophic levels: effects on the host–microbiota of freshwater organisms
Researchers examined how microplastic exposure across trophic levels affects the gut microbiota of freshwater organisms, finding that microplastics alter microbial community composition and that effects can transfer through food web interactions.
Exploring transfer of microplastics in the trophic chain: a prey-predator interaction case in the Strait of Messina
Researchers examined the transfer of microplastics across trophic levels in a prey-predator marine food web, tracking particles from prey organisms to predators. The study confirmed trophic transfer of microplastics and found that predators can accumulate higher particle concentrations than their prey.
A central role for fecal matter in the transport of microplastics: An updated analysis of new findings and persisting questions
This review examines the central role of fecal matter in transporting microplastics through ecosystems, analyzing how organisms ingest and excrete microplastics and the implications for environmental fate and human exposure monitoring.
Plastic in the pack: assessing microplastic risk to urban coyotes (Canis latrans) in the San Francisco Bay Area
Researchers found microplastics in scat samples from urban coyotes in North American cities, with a majority of sampled animals testing positive, suggesting that terrestrial carnivores living in human-modified landscapes routinely encounter and ingest plastic particles through contaminated prey and scavenging.
Effect of alternative natural diet on microplastic ingestion, functional responses and trophic transfer in a tri-trophic coastal pelagic food web
Researchers studied how microplastics move through a three-level marine food chain, from zooplankton prey to planktivorous fish, and how the availability of natural food affects microplastic ingestion. When natural food was scarce, organisms consumed more microplastics, and the particles transferred efficiently up the food chain. This study demonstrates that microplastics in the ocean can accumulate through the food web and reach fish species that humans commonly eat.
The effects of trophic transfer and environmental factors on microplastic uptake by plaice, Pleuronectes plastessa, and spider crab, Maja squinado
Researchers examined microplastic uptake in plaice and spider crab from the Celtic Sea alongside their prey (sand eels), finding plastic contamination in roughly 42–50% of all three species and documenting the first confirmed trophic transfer of microplastics from prey to predator in a wild marine food chain, though proximity to land rather than fishing intensity predicted exposure levels.
Microplastic occurrence in selected aquatic species of the Persian Gulf: No evidence of trophic transfer or effect of diet
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in six fish species, one mollusk, and three crustacean species from the Persian Gulf, finding no evidence of trophic transfer of microplastics or dietary effects on contamination levels across species.
Detection of microplastic particles in scats from different colonies of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) in the Gulf of California, Mexico: A preliminary study
Researchers conducted a preliminary study detecting microplastic particles in scats from California sea lions across six rookeries in the Gulf of California, analyzing 48 scat samples and chemically characterizing 294 suspected microplastic particles to assess MP ingestion in this top predator.
Evaluating exposure of northern fur seals, Callorhinus ursinus, to microplastic pollution through fecal analysis
Fecal samples from 44 northern fur seals across their eastern Pacific range were analyzed for microplastics, with plastic fragments found in 55% and fibers in 41% of scats, and a mean of 16.6 fragments/scat among positive samples. The study documents microplastic exposure in a marine mammal species consumed by humans, raising questions about potential exposure during subsistence harvesting.
Ingestion of Microplastics by Zooplankton in the Northeast Pacific Ocean
Researchers collected zooplankton from the northeast Pacific Ocean and found microplastics ingested by multiple species, demonstrating that microplastic uptake occurs throughout the open ocean zooplankton community far from coastlines.
Microplastics in the Amur tiger's habitat: Occurrence, characteristics, and risk assessment
Researchers characterized microplastics in the habitat of the Amur tiger in Russia's Far East, finding MPs in soil, water, and prey organisms, and assessing the potential risk this contamination poses to one of the world's most endangered large predators.
Ingestion and transfer of microplastics in the planktonic food web
Researchers demonstrated that microplastics are ingested and transferred through a planktonic food web, with particles passing from primary producers to zooplankton grazers and on to predatory plankton, establishing trophic transfer as a real pathway for microplastic movement through marine food chains.
Exploring transfer of microplastics in the trophic chain: a prey-predator interaction case in the Strait of Messina
This study examined how microplastics transfer through marine food webs via predator-prey interactions, tracking the movement of particles across trophic levels. Results confirmed that microplastics can be transferred from prey to predator and accumulate at higher trophic levels, posing risks to top predators and fisheries.
Uptake and Transfer of Polyamide Microplastics in a Freshwater Mesocosm Study
A freshwater mesocosm study tracked the trophic and ontogenetic transfer of polyamide microplastics through an aquatic food web under near-natural conditions, confirming that particles were transferred between prey and predators at multiple levels. The results demonstrate that microplastic transfer through food webs occurs in realistic community settings, not just isolated laboratory tests.