title: Widespread microplastic ingestion by fish assemblages in tropical estuaries subjected to anthropogenic pressures.
abstract: Our aim was to quantify microplastic ingestion by fish assemblages in two tropical Brazilian estuaries and to evaluate whether biological and ecological factors influence the ingestion of microplastics by fish species. Of 2233 fish from both estuaries (from 69 species) examined in this study, 9% of the individuals (24 species) had microplastics in their gut contents. Microplastic ingestion occurred irrespective of fish size and functional group. The diet of fish species was analyzed based on prey items identified in the fish's full stomach contents and five feeding guilds were defined. Microplastics were common throughout all feeding guilds. Low (average ingestion values 1.06±0.30 items/total fish) but widespread occurrence among estuaries also indicates proliferation of microplastic pollution. Our findings highlight the need to focus on assemblage level studies to understand the real magnitude of the problem and emphasize the urgency of mitigation measures directed at microplastic pollution in estuarine ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Biological and Social Sciences, Paraiba State University, Campus V, Rua Horacio Trajano, Cristo Redentor, 58070-450 João Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil. Electronic address: analuciavendel@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Vendel
authors.affiliation: MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bessa
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Biological and Social Sciences, Paraiba State University, Campus V, Rua Horacio Trajano, Cristo Redentor, 58070-450 João Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: V E N
authors.initials: VEN
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Biological and Social Sciences, Paraiba State University, Campus V, Rua Horacio Trajano, Cristo Redentor, 58070-450 João Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: A L A
authors.initials: ALA
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.affiliation: MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patrício
authors.affiliation: Department of Systematics and Ecology, Paraiba Federal University, Castelo Branco, 58051-900 João Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: A R T
authors.initials: ART
authors.lastname: Palma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D005399:Fishes; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents; D010969:Plastics
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics
keywords: Brazil; Feeding guilds; Functional groups; Gut contents; Human impact; Size