Ingestion of anthropogenic debris by migratory barnacle geese Branta leucopsis on a remote north-eastern Atlantic island

Neil E. Coughlan; Susan Doyle; Connie Baker-Arney; Rose M. Griffith; Linda Lyne; Hannah Williams; Thomas C. Kelly; Barry J. McMahon; Jaimie T.A. Dick; Eoghan M. Cunningham

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111588

Ingestion of anthropogenic debris by migratory barnacle geese Branta leucopsis on a remote north-eastern Atlantic island

Neil E. Coughlan^*, Susan Doyle, Connie Baker-Arney, Rose M. Griffith, Linda Lyne, Hannah Williams, Thomas C. Kelly, Barry J. McMahon, Jaimie T.A. Dick, Eoghan M. Cunningham

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Although seabirds are frequently used as sentinel species for anthropogenic pollution, the extent and impacts of synthetic debris ingestion remains poorly studied for many water bird species. Here, we assess ingestion of synthetic particles (≥0.5 mm) by barnacle geese, Branta leucopsis, wintering on a remote island. Faecal samples were collected over a period of four wintering seasons. In total, 71 individual samples were assessed, with 79% of samples displaying at least one debris particle (maximum lengths 0.5–5 mm) from anthropogenic sources. The recovered synthetic debris were identified as micro-fibres (n = 166) and micro-fragments (n = 165). The number of synthetic particles detected per sample was generally low at 4.7 ± 0.9, 43 (mean ± SE, maximum): micro-fibres 2.3 ± 0.3, 10; micro-fragments 2.3 ± 0.8, 40. Particle numbers detected per gram of faecal sample differed amongst wintering seasons. Our results suggest that non-marine water birds can frequently ingest low quantities of synthetic particles in remote coastal habitats.

Original language	English
Article number	111588
Journal	Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume	160
Early online date	24 Aug 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111588
Publication status	Published - Nov 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge support from the G. & M. Williams Research Fund , Queen's Marin Laboratory , and the Irish Research Council . We gratefully thank Ryan Johnston and Craig Holmes for assisting this study, and Patrick Manley and Brian Burke for assistance collecting samples. We also gratefully acknowledge support for Dr Katherine Booth-Jones and the British Trust for Ornithology. In particular, we thank Emma Healey and Allen Whitaker for technical support, and Ricky Whelan, Marcel Jansen and Alicia Mateos-Cárdenas for encouraging discussions.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd

Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

Anthropocene
Micro-fibre
Micro-fragment
Plastic pollution
Waterfowl
Wetland bird

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Oceanography
Aquatic Science
Pollution

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

Coughlan, N. E., Doyle, S., Baker-Arney, C., Griffith, R. M., Lyne, L., Williams, H., Kelly, T. C., McMahon, B. J., Dick, J. T. A., & Cunningham, E. M. (2020). Ingestion of anthropogenic debris by migratory barnacle geese Branta leucopsis on a remote north-eastern Atlantic island. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 160, [111588]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111588

@article{f36c79011ab140efacc31a2d30c4ddc6,

title = "Ingestion of anthropogenic debris by migratory barnacle geese Branta leucopsis on a remote north-eastern Atlantic island",

abstract = "Although seabirds are frequently used as sentinel species for anthropogenic pollution, the extent and impacts of synthetic debris ingestion remains poorly studied for many water bird species. Here, we assess ingestion of synthetic particles (≥0.5 mm) by barnacle geese, Branta leucopsis, wintering on a remote island. Faecal samples were collected over a period of four wintering seasons. In total, 71 individual samples were assessed, with 79% of samples displaying at least one debris particle (maximum lengths 0.5–5 mm) from anthropogenic sources. The recovered synthetic debris were identified as micro-fibres (n = 166) and micro-fragments (n = 165). The number of synthetic particles detected per sample was generally low at 4.7 ± 0.9, 43 (mean ± SE, maximum): micro-fibres 2.3 ± 0.3, 10; micro-fragments 2.3 ± 0.8, 40. Particle numbers detected per gram of faecal sample differed amongst wintering seasons. Our results suggest that non-marine water birds can frequently ingest low quantities of synthetic particles in remote coastal habitats.",

keywords = "Anthropocene, Micro-fibre, Micro-fragment, Plastic pollution, Waterfowl, Wetland bird",

author = "Coughlan, {Neil E.} and Susan Doyle and Connie Baker-Arney and Griffith, {Rose M.} and Linda Lyne and Hannah Williams and Kelly, {Thomas C.} and McMahon, {Barry J.} and Dick, {Jaimie T.A.} and Cunningham, {Eoghan M.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge support from the G. & M. Williams Research Fund , Queen's Marin Laboratory , and the Irish Research Council . We gratefully thank Ryan Johnston and Craig Holmes for assisting this study, and Patrick Manley and Brian Burke for assistance collecting samples. We also gratefully acknowledge support for Dr Katherine Booth-Jones and the British Trust for Ornithology. In particular, we thank Emma Healey and Allen Whitaker for technical support, and Ricky Whelan, Marcel Jansen and Alicia Mateos-C{\'a}rdenas for encouraging discussions. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier Ltd Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2020",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111588",

language = "English",

volume = "160",

journal = "Marine Pollution Bulletin",

issn = "0025-326X",

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Ingestion of anthropogenic debris by migratory barnacle geese Branta leucopsis on a remote north-eastern Atlantic island. / Coughlan, Neil E.; Doyle, Susan; Baker-Arney, Connie ; Griffith, Rose M.; Lyne, Linda; Williams, Hannah; Kelly, Thomas C.; McMahon, Barry J.; Dick, Jaimie T.A.; Cunningham, Eoghan M.

In: Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 160, 111588, 11.2020.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ingestion of anthropogenic debris by migratory barnacle geese Branta leucopsis on a remote north-eastern Atlantic island

AU - Coughlan, Neil E.

AU - Doyle, Susan

AU - Baker-Arney, Connie

AU - Griffith, Rose M.

AU - Lyne, Linda

AU - Williams, Hannah

AU - Kelly, Thomas C.

AU - McMahon, Barry J.

AU - Dick, Jaimie T.A.

AU - Cunningham, Eoghan M.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge support from the G. & M. Williams Research Fund , Queen's Marin Laboratory , and the Irish Research Council . We gratefully thank Ryan Johnston and Craig Holmes for assisting this study, and Patrick Manley and Brian Burke for assistance collecting samples. We also gratefully acknowledge support for Dr Katherine Booth-Jones and the British Trust for Ornithology. In particular, we thank Emma Healey and Allen Whitaker for technical support, and Ricky Whelan, Marcel Jansen and Alicia Mateos-Cárdenas for encouraging discussions. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier Ltd Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2020/11

Y1 - 2020/11

N2 - Although seabirds are frequently used as sentinel species for anthropogenic pollution, the extent and impacts of synthetic debris ingestion remains poorly studied for many water bird species. Here, we assess ingestion of synthetic particles (≥0.5 mm) by barnacle geese, Branta leucopsis, wintering on a remote island. Faecal samples were collected over a period of four wintering seasons. In total, 71 individual samples were assessed, with 79% of samples displaying at least one debris particle (maximum lengths 0.5–5 mm) from anthropogenic sources. The recovered synthetic debris were identified as micro-fibres (n = 166) and micro-fragments (n = 165). The number of synthetic particles detected per sample was generally low at 4.7 ± 0.9, 43 (mean ± SE, maximum): micro-fibres 2.3 ± 0.3, 10; micro-fragments 2.3 ± 0.8, 40. Particle numbers detected per gram of faecal sample differed amongst wintering seasons. Our results suggest that non-marine water birds can frequently ingest low quantities of synthetic particles in remote coastal habitats.

AB - Although seabirds are frequently used as sentinel species for anthropogenic pollution, the extent and impacts of synthetic debris ingestion remains poorly studied for many water bird species. Here, we assess ingestion of synthetic particles (≥0.5 mm) by barnacle geese, Branta leucopsis, wintering on a remote island. Faecal samples were collected over a period of four wintering seasons. In total, 71 individual samples were assessed, with 79% of samples displaying at least one debris particle (maximum lengths 0.5–5 mm) from anthropogenic sources. The recovered synthetic debris were identified as micro-fibres (n = 166) and micro-fragments (n = 165). The number of synthetic particles detected per sample was generally low at 4.7 ± 0.9, 43 (mean ± SE, maximum): micro-fibres 2.3 ± 0.3, 10; micro-fragments 2.3 ± 0.8, 40. Particle numbers detected per gram of faecal sample differed amongst wintering seasons. Our results suggest that non-marine water birds can frequently ingest low quantities of synthetic particles in remote coastal habitats.

KW - Anthropocene

KW - Micro-fibre

KW - Micro-fragment

KW - Plastic pollution

KW - Waterfowl

KW - Wetland bird

U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111588

DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111588

M3 - Article

C2 - 32853840

AN - SCOPUS:85089740683

VL - 160

JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin

JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin

SN - 0025-326X

M1 - 111588

ER -

Ingestion of anthropogenic debris by migratory barnacle geese Branta leucopsis on a remote north-eastern Atlantic island

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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Cite this