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An IMAS study on seabirds ingesting plastic debris revealed a range of non-lethal impacts on their health and physiology.
Seabird mortality due to the ingestion of plastic debris or entanglement therein has received worldwide attention, but the non-lethal effects on seabirds that survive plastic ingestion are less well known.
The study led by Jennifer Lavers (IMAS) and published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology found that the ingestion of plastic could have a significant negative impact even on healthy seabirds.
The research, which included scientists from the Lord Howe Island Museum and the United Kingdom's Natural History Museum, badyzed blood and plastic samples taken from Lord Howe Island skinny-footed Puffins.
Poppy populations are declining in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and on the south coast of Western Australia. "
Dr. Jennifer Lavers, IMAS
"The plastic ingestion has been implicated in this decline, but the mechanisms by which it affects the shearwaters are poorly understood.
"Our study found that plastic ingested birds showed a reduction in blood calcium, body mbad, wing length, and length of head and beak.
"The presence of plastic has also had a negative impact on the renal function of birds, resulting in a higher concentration of uric acid, as well as on their cholesterol and their enzymes."
Dr. Lavers stated that the study revealed that the mere presence of plastic was sufficient to have negative consequences, no matter how small.
"Our data do not show a significant relationship between the volume of plastic ingested and the health of individuals, suggesting that any ingestion of plastic is sufficient to have an impact.
"Until now, there was little information on the composition of blood of seabirds in the wild, many of which have been identified as endangered species.
"Understanding how seabirds are affected is also complicated by the fact that they spend little time on land or in breeding colonies, and most deaths occur at sea where causes of death are often unknown. .
"The complex range of problems facing seabirds – from habitat loss and climate change to fishing and marine pollution – makes it necessary to better understand the impact of particular challenges such as plastic debris, "said Dr. Lavers.
Source:
Journal reference:
Lavers, J.L. et al. (2019) Clinical pathology of plastic ingestion in seabirds and relationships with blood chemistry. Environmental Science and Technology. doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b02098.
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