Anthropogenically altered trophic webs : alien catfish and microplastics in the diet of Eurasian otters
With the aim of examining how Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) face human-mediated environmental alterations, we assessed their diet by spraint analysis on the River Ticino (NW Italy), where this mustelid has been reintroduced in 1997. From March 2016 to March 2017, a total of 101 spraints was found in...
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ftunivmilanoair:oai:air.unimi.it:2434/609699 2024-04-21T07:45:38+00:00 Anthropogenically altered trophic webs : alien catfish and microplastics in the diet of Eurasian otters G. Smiroldo A. Balestrieri E. Pini P. Tremolada G. Smiroldo A. Balestrieri E. Pini P. Tremolada 2019-04 http://hdl.handle.net/2434/609699 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-018-00412-3 eng eng Springer info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000461391500002 volume:64 issue:2 firstpage:165 lastpage:174 numberofpages:10 journal:MAMMAL RESEARCH http://hdl.handle.net/2434/609699 doi:10.1007/s13364-018-00412-3 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85063043885 info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess Lutra lutra Marking activity Reintroduction Silurus glani Endangered species Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia Settore CHIM/06 - Chimica Organica info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2019 ftunivmilanoair https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-018-00412-3 2024-03-27T16:43:07Z With the aim of examining how Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) face human-mediated environmental alterations, we assessed their diet by spraint analysis on the River Ticino (NW Italy), where this mustelid has been reintroduced in 1997. From March 2016 to March 2017, a total of 101 spraints was found in 50% of 32 sampling stations (mean length ± SD = 567 ± 263 m). Fish formed the bulk of otter diet (95% of the estimated mean percent volume, mV%). Cyprinids were the most preyed fish (mV% = 44.9), followed by European catfish Silurus glanis (mV% = 24.9%) and eel Anguilla anguilla (mV% = 8.5). Introduced European catfish is an invasive species, which can deeply alter the composition and structure of local fish communities and accumulate large amounts of metals and pollutants through the trophic chain. We also recorded for the first time microplastic particles (< 5 mm) in otter spraints. Suspected particles were analysed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and two polymer types were identified: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamide (PA). Although otters showed to be able to adapt to anthropogenic changes, these results point out new potential threats to otter conservation and ask for further studies. Article in Journal/Newspaper Anguilla anguilla Lutra lutra The University of Milan: Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (AIR) Mammal Research 64 2 165 174 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Milan: Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (AIR) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivmilanoair |
language |
English |
topic |
Lutra lutra Marking activity Reintroduction Silurus glani Endangered species Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia Settore CHIM/06 - Chimica Organica |
spellingShingle |
Lutra lutra Marking activity Reintroduction Silurus glani Endangered species Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia Settore CHIM/06 - Chimica Organica G. Smiroldo A. Balestrieri E. Pini P. Tremolada Anthropogenically altered trophic webs : alien catfish and microplastics in the diet of Eurasian otters |
topic_facet |
Lutra lutra Marking activity Reintroduction Silurus glani Endangered species Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia Settore CHIM/06 - Chimica Organica |
description |
With the aim of examining how Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) face human-mediated environmental alterations, we assessed their diet by spraint analysis on the River Ticino (NW Italy), where this mustelid has been reintroduced in 1997. From March 2016 to March 2017, a total of 101 spraints was found in 50% of 32 sampling stations (mean length ± SD = 567 ± 263 m). Fish formed the bulk of otter diet (95% of the estimated mean percent volume, mV%). Cyprinids were the most preyed fish (mV% = 44.9), followed by European catfish Silurus glanis (mV% = 24.9%) and eel Anguilla anguilla (mV% = 8.5). Introduced European catfish is an invasive species, which can deeply alter the composition and structure of local fish communities and accumulate large amounts of metals and pollutants through the trophic chain. We also recorded for the first time microplastic particles (< 5 mm) in otter spraints. Suspected particles were analysed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and two polymer types were identified: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamide (PA). Although otters showed to be able to adapt to anthropogenic changes, these results point out new potential threats to otter conservation and ask for further studies. |
author2 |
G. Smiroldo A. Balestrieri E. Pini P. Tremolada |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
G. Smiroldo A. Balestrieri E. Pini P. Tremolada |
author_facet |
G. Smiroldo A. Balestrieri E. Pini P. Tremolada |
author_sort |
G. Smiroldo |
title |
Anthropogenically altered trophic webs : alien catfish and microplastics in the diet of Eurasian otters |
title_short |
Anthropogenically altered trophic webs : alien catfish and microplastics in the diet of Eurasian otters |
title_full |
Anthropogenically altered trophic webs : alien catfish and microplastics in the diet of Eurasian otters |
title_fullStr |
Anthropogenically altered trophic webs : alien catfish and microplastics in the diet of Eurasian otters |
title_full_unstemmed |
Anthropogenically altered trophic webs : alien catfish and microplastics in the diet of Eurasian otters |
title_sort |
anthropogenically altered trophic webs : alien catfish and microplastics in the diet of eurasian otters |
publisher |
Springer |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2434/609699 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-018-00412-3 |
genre |
Anguilla anguilla Lutra lutra |
genre_facet |
Anguilla anguilla Lutra lutra |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000461391500002 volume:64 issue:2 firstpage:165 lastpage:174 numberofpages:10 journal:MAMMAL RESEARCH http://hdl.handle.net/2434/609699 doi:10.1007/s13364-018-00412-3 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85063043885 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-018-00412-3 |
container_title |
Mammal Research |
container_volume |
64 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
165 |
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174 |
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1796941075248578560 |