A study of wrecked Dovekies (Alle alle) in the western North Atlantic highlights the importance of using standardized methods to quantify plastic ingestion.
Quantification of plastic ingestion across a range of seabirds is required to assess the prevalence of plastics in marine food webs. We quantified plastic ingestion in beached Dovekies (Alle alle), following a wreck in Newfoundland, Canada. Of 171 birds, 30.4% had ingested plastic (mean 0.81±0.30 SE pieces per bird, mass 0.005±0.002 SE g per bird). Most plastics were fragments of polyethylene and polypropylene. Surprisingly, 37% were burned or melted, indicating a previously unreported source of ingested plastics (incinerated waste). We found no relationship between plastic ingestion and age, sex or body condition. By comparing our results with a similar nearby study, we illustrate the need for researchers to adopt standardized methods for plastic ingestion studies. We underline the importance of using histological techniques to reliably identify gastric pathologies, and advise caution when inferring population level trends in plastic ingestion from studies of emaciated, wrecked birds.
Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia; Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 6 Bruce Street, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, A1N 4T3, Canada. Electronic address: s.averygomm@uq.net.au.
Stephanie
S
Avery-Gomm
Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3X9, Canada.
Michelle
M
Valliant
Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3X9, Canada.
Carley R
CR
Schacter
Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3X9, Canada.
Katherine F
KF
Robbins
Department of Sociology and Program in Environmental Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1C 5S7, Canada.
Max
M
Liboiron
Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, C1A 4P3, Canada.
Pierre-Yves
PY
Daoust
Program of Chemistry and Physics, Department of Natural Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Superior, Belknap and Catlin, P.O. Box 2000, Superior, WI 54880, USA.
Lorena M
LM
Rios
Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3X9, Canada.
Ian L
IL
Jones
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D002170:Canada; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000378:metabolism*; D004435:Eating; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D020387:Food Chain; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry*; D009523:Newfoundland and Labrador; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D010969:Plastics; D014873:Water Pollutants
Incinerated; Little auk; Marine debris; Newfoundland; Plastic pollution; Seabird