Microplastic study reveals the presence of natural and synthetic fibres in the diet of King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) foraging from South Georgia
[eng] Marine ecosystems are experiencing substantial disturbances due to climate change and overfishing, and plastic pollution is an additional growing threat. Microfibres are among the most pervasive pollutants in the marine environment, including in the Southern Ocean. However, evidence for microf...
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11201/150736 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105303 |
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ftunillesbalears:oai:dspace.uib.es:11201/150736 2023-05-15T13:57:09+02:00 Microplastic study reveals the presence of natural and synthetic fibres in the diet of King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) foraging from South Georgia Le Guen C. Suaria G. Sherley R. Aliani S. Boehme L. Ryan P.G. Brierley A. application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/11201/150736 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105303 unknown Versió postprint del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105303 Environment International, 2019, vol. 134, num. 105303, p. 1-9 http://hdl.handle.net/11201/150736 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105303 info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess Medi ambient 59 - Zoologia Environment 59 - Zoology info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion ftunillesbalears https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105303 2021-06-25T17:55:48Z [eng] Marine ecosystems are experiencing substantial disturbances due to climate change and overfishing, and plastic pollution is an additional growing threat. Microfibres are among the most pervasive pollutants in the marine environment, including in the Southern Ocean. However, evidence for microfibre contamination in the diet of top predators in the Southern Ocean is rare. King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) feed on mesopelagic fish, which undergo diel vertical migrations towards the surface at night. Microfibres are concentrated in surface waters and sediments but can also be concentrated in fish, therefore acting as contamination vectors for diving predators feeding at depth. In this study, we investigate microfibre contamination of King Penguin faecal samples collected in February and March 2017 at South Georgia across three groups: incubating, chick-rearing and non-breeding birds. After a KOH digestion to dissolve the organic matter and a density separation step using a NaCl solution, the samples were filtered to collect microfibres. A total of 77% of the penguin faecal samples (36 of 47) contained microfibres. Fibres were measured and characterized using Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy to determine their polymeric identity. Most fibres (88%) were made of natural cellulosic materials (e.g. cotton, linen), with only 12% synthetic (e.g. polyester, nylon) or semi-synthetic (e.g. rayon). An average of 21.9 ± 5.8 microfibres g−1 of faeces (lab dried mass) was found, with concentrations more than twice as high in incubating penguins than in penguins rearing chicks. Incubating birds forage further north at the Antarctic Polar Front and travel longer distances from South Georgia than chick-rearing birds. This suggests that long-distance travelling penguins are probably more exposed to the risk of ingesting microfibres when feeding north of the Antarctic Polar Front, which might act as a semi-permeable barrier for microfibres. Microfibres could therefore provide a signature for foraging location in King Penguins. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic King Penguins Southern Ocean UIB Repositori (University of the Balearic Islands) Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic Environment International 134 105303 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
UIB Repositori (University of the Balearic Islands) |
op_collection_id |
ftunillesbalears |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Medi ambient 59 - Zoologia Environment 59 - Zoology |
spellingShingle |
Medi ambient 59 - Zoologia Environment 59 - Zoology Le Guen C. Suaria G. Sherley R. Aliani S. Boehme L. Ryan P.G. Brierley A. Microplastic study reveals the presence of natural and synthetic fibres in the diet of King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) foraging from South Georgia |
topic_facet |
Medi ambient 59 - Zoologia Environment 59 - Zoology |
description |
[eng] Marine ecosystems are experiencing substantial disturbances due to climate change and overfishing, and plastic pollution is an additional growing threat. Microfibres are among the most pervasive pollutants in the marine environment, including in the Southern Ocean. However, evidence for microfibre contamination in the diet of top predators in the Southern Ocean is rare. King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) feed on mesopelagic fish, which undergo diel vertical migrations towards the surface at night. Microfibres are concentrated in surface waters and sediments but can also be concentrated in fish, therefore acting as contamination vectors for diving predators feeding at depth. In this study, we investigate microfibre contamination of King Penguin faecal samples collected in February and March 2017 at South Georgia across three groups: incubating, chick-rearing and non-breeding birds. After a KOH digestion to dissolve the organic matter and a density separation step using a NaCl solution, the samples were filtered to collect microfibres. A total of 77% of the penguin faecal samples (36 of 47) contained microfibres. Fibres were measured and characterized using Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy to determine their polymeric identity. Most fibres (88%) were made of natural cellulosic materials (e.g. cotton, linen), with only 12% synthetic (e.g. polyester, nylon) or semi-synthetic (e.g. rayon). An average of 21.9 ± 5.8 microfibres g−1 of faeces (lab dried mass) was found, with concentrations more than twice as high in incubating penguins than in penguins rearing chicks. Incubating birds forage further north at the Antarctic Polar Front and travel longer distances from South Georgia than chick-rearing birds. This suggests that long-distance travelling penguins are probably more exposed to the risk of ingesting microfibres when feeding north of the Antarctic Polar Front, which might act as a semi-permeable barrier for microfibres. Microfibres could therefore provide a signature for foraging location in King Penguins. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Le Guen C. Suaria G. Sherley R. Aliani S. Boehme L. Ryan P.G. Brierley A. |
author_facet |
Le Guen C. Suaria G. Sherley R. Aliani S. Boehme L. Ryan P.G. Brierley A. |
author_sort |
Le Guen C. |
title |
Microplastic study reveals the presence of natural and synthetic fibres in the diet of King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) foraging from South Georgia |
title_short |
Microplastic study reveals the presence of natural and synthetic fibres in the diet of King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) foraging from South Georgia |
title_full |
Microplastic study reveals the presence of natural and synthetic fibres in the diet of King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) foraging from South Georgia |
title_fullStr |
Microplastic study reveals the presence of natural and synthetic fibres in the diet of King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) foraging from South Georgia |
title_full_unstemmed |
Microplastic study reveals the presence of natural and synthetic fibres in the diet of King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) foraging from South Georgia |
title_sort |
microplastic study reveals the presence of natural and synthetic fibres in the diet of king penguins (aptenodytes patagonicus) foraging from south georgia |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11201/150736 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105303 |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic King Penguins Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic King Penguins Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
Versió postprint del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105303 Environment International, 2019, vol. 134, num. 105303, p. 1-9 http://hdl.handle.net/11201/150736 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105303 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105303 |
container_title |
Environment International |
container_volume |
134 |
container_start_page |
105303 |
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1766264749979336704 |