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The frequency of ingested plastic debris and its effects on body condition of short-tailed shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris) pre-fledging chicks in Tasmania, Australia
Citation
Cousin, HR and Auman, HJ and Alderman, R and Virtue, P, The frequency of ingested plastic debris and its effects on body condition of short-tailed shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris) pre-fledging chicks in Tasmania, Australia, Emu, 115, (1) pp. 6-11. ISSN 0158-4197 (2015) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2015 BirdLife Australia
DOI: doi:10.1071/MU13086
Abstract
In recent years, there have been increasing reports of ingestion of marine plastic debris in seabirds. Our aim was
to assess the frequency and effects of ingested plastic debris in pre-fledging Short-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris)
in Tasmania. We conducted necropsies of 171 Shearwater chicks, confiscated after illegal poaching, to determine the
presence of plastic debris in the proventriculus and ventriculus. We also examined whether there was a correlation between
body condition (based on body mass and fat-scores) and quantity of plastic ingested (by count and weight). We recorded 1032
ingested plastic particles, consisting of industrial plastic (31%) and user plastic (69%). Most of the Shearwater chicks (96%)
contained plastic debris with a mean of 148.1 mgper bird (s.e. 8.1). Most plastic was found in the ventriculus. Light-coloured
plastic dominated (63.8%), with the rest medium (22.1%) and dark (14.1%) plastics. We found that total mass of ingested
plastic was not significantly related to body condition, or fat-scores or mass individually. Our study highlights the prevalence
of plastic pollution in apparently healthy Shearwater chicks and underscores concern regarding the effects of increasing
marine pollution on a global scale.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | industrial plastic, marine debris, nurdles, plastic colour, plastic pollution, plastic ingestion, seabirds, shearwater |
Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Zoology |
Research Field: | Animal Physiological Ecology |
Objective Division: | Environment |
Objective Group: | Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity |
Objective Field: | Marine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity |
UTAS Author: | Cousin, HR (Miss Hannah Cousin) |
UTAS Author: | Auman, HJ (Dr Heidi Auman) |
UTAS Author: | Virtue, P (Associate Professor Patti Virtue) |
ID Code: | 98341 |
Year Published: | 2015 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 10 |
Deposited By: | IMAS Research and Education Centre |
Deposited On: | 2015-02-12 |
Last Modified: | 2017-10-31 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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