title: Interaction between loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and marine litter in Sardinia (Western Mediterranean Sea).
abstract: Anthropogenic debris in the environment affects many species that accidentally ingest it. The aim of this study is to evaluate the quantity and composition of marine litter ingested by loggerheads in Sardinia, thus supplying for the lack of data in the existing literature for this area. Seventeen of the 121 (14.04%) monitored turtles presented debris in their digestive tracts. Litter in faecal pellet of alive individuals (n = 91) and in gastro-intestinal contents of dead ones (n = 30) was categorized, counted and weighed. User plastic was the main category of ingested debris with a frequency of occurrence of 13.22% of the total sample, while sheet (12.39%) and fragments (9.09%) were the most relevant sub-categories. This study highlights for the first time the incidence of litter in alive turtles in Sardinia. This contribution improves the knowledge about marine litter interaction on Caretta caretta as bio-indicator. Results will be useful for the Marine Strategy implementation.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Coastal Marine Environment - National Research Council (IAMC-CNR), loc. Sa Mardini, 09170 Oristano, Italy; University of Tuscia, Via S.M. in Gradi 4, 01100 Viterbo, Italy. Electronic address: a.camedda@iamc.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Camedda
authors.affiliation: Institute for Coastal Marine Environment - National Research Council (IAMC-CNR), loc. Sa Mardini, 09170 Oristano, Italy; University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matiddi
authors.affiliation: Marine Protected Area "Penisola del Sinis - Isola di Mal di Ventre", P.zza Eleonora 1, 09072 Cabras, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massaro
authors.affiliation: Institute for Coastal Marine Environment - National Research Council (IAMC-CNR), loc. Sa Mardini, 09170 Oristano, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coppa
authors.affiliation: Institute for Coastal Marine Environment - National Research Council (IAMC-CNR), loc. Sa Mardini, 09170 Oristano, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perilli
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico della Sardegna, Via Atene - Zona Industriale, 09170 Oristano, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruiu
authors.affiliation: Clinica Veterinaria "Duemari", Via Cagliari 313, 09170 Oristano, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Briguglio
authors.affiliation: Institute for Coastal Marine Environment - National Research Council (IAMC-CNR), loc. Sa Mardini, 09170 Oristano, Italy.
authors.forename: G Andrea
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: de Lucia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D007558:Italy; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis*; D014426:Turtles / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Faecal pellet; Gut content; Marine Strategy Framework Directive; Marine litter; Mediterranean Sea; Plastics; Rescue centre; Sea turtles