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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Size and dynamics of microplastic in gastrointestinal tracts of Northern Fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis ) and Sooty Shearwaters ( Ardenna grisea )
ClearPlastics in stomachs of northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis collected at sea off east Greenland: latitude, age, sex and season
Researchers analyzed stomachs from 145 northern fulmars (seabirds) hunted off east Greenland and found plastic in 86% of birds, with an average of 13.5 particles per stomach — well above international policy targets. The study also found that younger birds and females contained more plastic, likely due to differences in how much time they spend at sea where plastic accumulates.
Life starts with plastic: High occurrence of plastic pieces in fledglings of northern fulmars
Researchers found that 100% of northern fulmar fledglings examined from Svalbard in the Eurasian Arctic had ingested plastic, averaging 46 particles per bird. The most common plastics were white polyethylene fragments, with microplastics slightly outnumbering larger mesoplastics. The study suggests that fulmar fledglings may serve as effective indicators for monitoring plastic pollution trends over time.
Prey choice and ingestion of microplastics by common shelducks and common eiders in the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site
Researchers found microplastic contamination in over 92% of stomach samples and 74–86% of fecal samples from common eiders and common shelducks in the Wadden Sea, with plastic filaments under 5mm dominating, suggesting widespread and near-universal ingestion by these coastal seabirds.
Characterization of Plastics Ingested by the Bioindicator Cory’s Shearwater from Tenerife Island (Canary Islands): Implications for Marine Environmental Monitoring
Researchers characterised 674 plastic items found in the stomachs of Cory's shearwater fledglings from the Canary Islands, finding that ingested plastics were predominantly large microplastics (1-5 mm, 82%) with threadlike morphology, and that the birds serve as effective bioindicators of marine plastic pollution in the eastern Atlantic.
Evaluation of meso- and microplastic ingestion by the northern fulmar through a non-lethal sampling method
Using a non-lethal stomach flushing method on Arctic fulmars at Svalbard, researchers found plastics in only three of 22 birds — much lower burdens than previously reported — but identified a key methodological limitation: the technique misses plastics accumulated in the gizzard where most plastic concentrates. The study is valuable for showing that repeated, non-lethal sampling of the same individuals over time is possible, which could improve long-term plastic ingestion monitoring in seabirds.
Fulmar litter threshold value monitoring in the Netherlands : update 2020
This Dutch monitoring report provides an updated assessment of plastic litter found in the stomachs of northern fulmars, seabirds used as indicators of marine plastic pollution in the Netherlands. Fulmar stomach contents are a long-established and sensitive measure of trends in marine plastic debris, including the particles that become microplastics.
Microplastic ingestion: Are seabirds more affected than other marine species?
This review examines whether seabirds ingest plastic more frequently than other marine species, finding they are among the most affected groups with high rates of plastic ingestion documented across species. The review discusses factors including foraging behavior, habitat, and ocean plastic concentrations that explain why seabirds are particularly vulnerable.
Plastic ingestion in seabirds of the western Indian Ocean
Researchers examined stomach contents of 222 seabirds from nine species in the western Indian Ocean and found plastic in all species, with tropical shearwaters (79%) and Barau's petrels (59%) most affected, and juvenile birds carrying significantly greater plastic mass than adults, indicating regional ocean plastic pollution and age-dependent exposure risks.
Exposure to microplastics by pelagic and coastal seabirds from temperate and tropical environments
Researchers examined microplastic exposure in pelagic and coastal seabird species from temperate and tropical marine environments, using the birds' broad spatial distribution and feeding behavior to assess microplastic distribution and concentration patterns across oceanic regions.
The hidden cost of following currents: Microplastic ingestion in a planktivorous seabird
Researchers documented microplastic ingestion in Mediterranean storm petrels, finding that these planktivorous seabirds ingest microplastics while foraging in pelagic areas where plastic debris accumulates alongside their planktonic prey in ocean currents.
Marine debris ingestion by adults and fledglings of Swinhoe's storm petrels in the Republic of Korea
Researchers analyzed stomach contents of stranded Swinhoe's storm petrel carcasses from a Korean breeding colony and found that both adults and fledglings ingested predominantly microplastics, with juveniles consuming more plastic by weight than adults and the two age groups ingesting different particle shapes, suggesting separate foraging behaviors.
Contamination of coastal and marine bird species with plastics: Global analysis and synthesis
This review summarizes global data on plastic contamination in coastal and marine bird species across all seven continents, finding that seabirds like fulmars, shearwaters, and albatrosses are the most heavily affected. Birds ingest microplastics, mesoplastics, and macroplastics that can cause death directly through gut blockage and indirectly through toxic chemicals absorbed onto or released from the plastic. Several contaminated species are already classified as endangered.
Micro- and mesoplastic contaminants in marine diving ducks: A first assessments from the coast of Japan
Researchers conducted the first assessment of plastic contamination in two species of mollusk-eating seaducks wintering along Japan's Pacific coast and found microplastics in all ten birds examined. The vast majority of particles were tiny fragments under 200 micrometers, a size class previously overlooked in seaduck studies, suggesting these birds ingest microplastics primarily through their contaminated prey.
Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic
Researchers investigated organic and inorganic co-contaminants associated with ingested microplastics in northern fulmars and black-legged kittiwakes from the Canadian Arctic, finding that fulmars had higher levels of microplastic contamination and plastic-additive organic compounds than kittiwakes, and examining the extent to which ingested microplastics act as transport vectors for persistent organic pollutants and trace metals.
Plastic ingestion by seabirds in New Caledonia, South Pacific
Researchers examined stomach contents of 90 seabirds from 12 species in New Caledonia and found plastic debris in 14.4% of individuals, with the highest rates in procellariids (petrels and shearwaters), providing the first plastic ingestion baseline for this Pacific island region.
Polymer types ingested by northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and southern hemisphere relatives
This study used infrared spectroscopy and density separation to identify the polymer types in plastics ingested by northern fulmars and related southern hemisphere seabirds, finding predominantly polyethylene and polypropylene. Identifying which types of plastics seabirds ingest can help trace the sources of marine plastic pollution and understand the chemical additive risks birds face.
Microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of nestling and adult migratory birds
Researchers examined microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of both nestling and adult migratory birds across six species, finding widespread plastic ingestion with fibers predominating, suggesting that microplastic exposure begins early in avian life stages.
Microplastics in marine mammals stranded around the British coast: ubiquitous but transitory?
Researchers examined whole digestive tracts of 50 stranded marine mammals from 10 UK species and found microplastics in every animal (mean 5.5 particles). The low numbers and predominance in stomachs versus intestines suggest particles are largely transitory rather than accumulating permanently in marine mammal guts.
Fulmar litter monitoring in the Netherlands : Update 2021
This monitoring update reports fulmar stomach content data from the Netherlands through 2021, tracking plastic ingestion rates in northern fulmars as a standardized indicator of marine litter levels in the North Sea, with microplastic fragments remaining a dominant component of ingested debris.
Negligible Impact of Ingested Microplastics on Tissue Concentrations of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Northern Fulmars off Coastal Norway
This study compared persistent organic pollutant (POP) concentrations in northern fulmars from Norwegian waters that had ingested different amounts of plastic and found no significant relationship between plastic ingestion and POP tissue levels. The results suggest that in this species, plastic is not a meaningful vector for transferring additional chemical pollution beyond what the birds already accumulate through their diet.