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A standardised method for estimating the level of visible debris in bird nests
Citation
Grant, ML and O'Hanlon, NJ and Lavers, JL and Masden, EA and James, NA and Bond, AL, A standardised method for estimating the level of visible debris in bird nests, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 172 Article 112889. ISSN 0025-326X (2021) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Crown Copyright © 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112889
Abstract
Unlike records of plastic ingestion and entanglement in seabirds which date back to the 1960s, the literature regarding debris in bird nests is comparatively limited. It is important to identify standardised methods early so that data are collected in a consistent manner, ensuring that future studies can be comparable. Here, we outline a method that can be applied to photographs for estimating the proportion of visible debris at the surface of a nest. This method uses ImageJ software to superimpose a grid onto a photograph of a nest/s. The number of cells with and without debris are then counted. Our proposed method is repeatable, straightforward, and accessible. We optimised the method to estimate the level of visible debris in Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) nests, however, with some modification (i.e., adjustment of grid cell size), it could be applied to other seabird species, and terrestrial birds, that incorporate debris within nests.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | marine debris, plastic pollution, seabird monitoring, nest debris, standardised method, ImageJ |
Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Ecology |
Research Field: | Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Marine systems and management |
Objective Field: | Marine biodiversity |
UTAS Author: | Grant, ML (Miss Megan Grant) |
UTAS Author: | Lavers, JL (Dr Jennifer Lavers) |
UTAS Author: | Bond, AL (Dr Alexander Bond) |
ID Code: | 146252 |
Year Published: | 2021 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 1 |
Deposited By: | Ecology and Biodiversity |
Deposited On: | 2021-08-26 |
Last Modified: | 2021-11-25 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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