Biovectoring of plastic by white storks from a landfill to a complex of salt ponds and marshes
2023
Cano Povedano, Julián | López Calderón, Cosme | Sánchez Ordóñez, Marta Isabel | Hortas, Francisco | Cañuelo Jurado, Belén | Martín Vélez, Víctor | Ros Clemente, Macarena | Cózar, Andrés | Green, Andy J. | Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Zoología | Junta de Andalucía | Universidad de Cádiz
Research into plastic pollution has extensively focused on abiotic vectors, overlooking transport by animals. Opportunistic birds, such as white storks (Ciconia ciconia) often forage on landfills, where plastic abounds. We assess plastic loading by ingestion and regurgitation of landfill plastic in Cadiz Bay, a major stopover area for migratory white storks in south-west Spain. On average, we counted 599 storks per day moving between a landfill and a complex of salt ponds and marshes, where they regurgitated pellets that each contained a mean of 0.47 g of plastic debris, dominated by polyethylene. Modelling reliant on GPS tracking estimated that 99 kg and >2 million particles of plastic were biovectored into the wetland during 2022, with seasonal peaks that followed migration patterns. GPS data enabled the correction of field censuses and the identification of plastic deposition hotspots. This study highlights the important role that biovectoring plays in plastic transport into coastal wetlands.
Show more [+] Less [-]Junta de Andalucía PY20_00756
Show more [+] Less [-]Universidad de Cádiz OT2022/047
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Universidad de Sevilla