Article
Biovectoring of plastic by white storks from a landfill to a complex of salt ponds and marshes
Author/s | 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. |
Department | Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Zoología |
Publication Date | 2023-12 |
Deposit Date | 2024-04-30 |
Published in |
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Abstract | 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. ... 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. |
Funding agencies | Junta de Andalucía Universidad de Cádiz |
Project ID. | PY20_00756
![]() OT2022/047 ![]() |
Citation | Cano Povedano, J., López Calderón, C., Sánchez Ordóñez, M.I., Hortas, F., Cañuelo Jurado, B., Martín Vélez, V.,...,Green, A.J. (2023). Biovectoring of plastic by white storks from a landfill to a complex of salt ponds and marshes. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 197, 115773. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115773. |
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