Barau's petrel, Pterodroma baraui, as a bioindicator of plastic pollution in the South-West Indian Ocean: A multifaceted approach
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Marine plastic pollution is well described by bioindicator species in temperate and polar regions but remains understudied in tropical oceans. We addressed this gap by evaluating the seabird Barau's petrel as bioindicator of plastic pollution in the South-West Indian Ocean. We conducted a multifaceted approach including necropsies of birds to quantify plastic ingestion; GPS tracking of breeding adults to identify their foraging areas; manta trawling of plastic debris to measure plastic pollution at sea and modelling of plastic dispersal. We developed a spatial risk index of seabird exposure to plastic ingestion. Seventy-one percent of the analysed birds had ingested plastic. GPS tracking coupled with manta trawling and dispersal modelling show that adults consistently foraged at places with high level of plastic concentration. The highest ingestion risk occurred in the northwest of Reunion Island and at latitude 30°S. Our findings confirm that Barau's petrel is a reliable bioindicator of plastic pollution in the region.
Source: Marine Environmental Research
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Ifremer, University of Reunion Island, The Ocean Cleanup, Softmat - Chimie des colloïdes, polymères & assemblages complexes, Écologie Marine Tropicale des Océans Pacifique et Indien, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centre National d'Études Spatiales, Laboratoire d’Études en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales, Université de Toulouse, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Laboratory for Ocean Physics and Satellite Remote Sensing, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Université de Bretagne Occidentale
Language: English
Subfield: Pollution
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,340
Awards: G5480062567, G7545290899, G966035586
OpenAlex ID: W4402021492