Plastic ingestion in oceanic-stage loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre

Christopher K. Pham; Yasmina Rodríguez; Axelle Dauphin; Rita Carriço; João P.G.L. Frias; Frederic Vandeperre; Vanessa Otero; Marco R. Santos; Helen R. Martins; Alan B. Bolten; Karen A. Bjorndal

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.008

Plastic ingestion in oceanic-stage loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre

Christopher K. Pham, Yasmina Rodríguez, Axelle Dauphin, Rita Carriço, João P.G.L. Frias, Frederic Vandeperre, Vanessa Otero, Marco R. Santos, Helen R. Martins, Alan B. Bolten, Karen A. Bjorndal

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

114 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Juvenile oceanic-stage sea turtles are particularly vulnerable to the increasing quantity of plastic coming into the oceans. In this study, we analysed the gastrointestinal tracts of 24 juvenile oceanic-stage loggerheads (Caretta caretta) collected off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, in the Azores region, a key feeding ground for juvenile loggerheads. Twenty individuals were found to have ingested marine debris (83%), composed exclusively of plastic items (primarily polyethylene and polypropylene) identified by μ-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Large microplastics (1–5 mm) represented 25% of the total number of debris and were found in 58% of the individuals sampled. Average number of items was 15.83 ± 6.09 (± SE) per individual, corresponding to a mean dry mass of 1.07 ± 0.41 g. The results of this study demonstrate that plastic pollution acts as another stressor for this critical life stage of loggerhead turtles in the North Atlantic.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	222-229
Number of pages	8
Journal	Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume	121
Issue number	1-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.008
Publication status	Published - 2017
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Azores
Caretta caretta
North-Atlantic subtropical gyre
Oceanic-stage
Plastic
Sea turtles

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.008

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Pham, C. K., Rodríguez, Y., Dauphin, A., Carriço, R., Frias, J. P. G. L., Vandeperre, F., Otero, V., Santos, M. R., Martins, H. R., Bolten, A. B., & Bjorndal, K. A. (2017). Plastic ingestion in oceanic-stage loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 121(1-2), 222-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.008

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title = "Plastic ingestion in oceanic-stage loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre",

abstract = "Juvenile oceanic-stage sea turtles are particularly vulnerable to the increasing quantity of plastic coming into the oceans. In this study, we analysed the gastrointestinal tracts of 24 juvenile oceanic-stage loggerheads (Caretta caretta) collected off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, in the Azores region, a key feeding ground for juvenile loggerheads. Twenty individuals were found to have ingested marine debris (83%), composed exclusively of plastic items (primarily polyethylene and polypropylene) identified by μ-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Large microplastics (1–5 mm) represented 25% of the total number of debris and were found in 58% of the individuals sampled. Average number of items was 15.83 ± 6.09 (± SE) per individual, corresponding to a mean dry mass of 1.07 ± 0.41 g. The results of this study demonstrate that plastic pollution acts as another stressor for this critical life stage of loggerhead turtles in the North Atlantic.",

keywords = "Azores, Caretta caretta, North-Atlantic subtropical gyre, Oceanic-stage, Plastic, Sea turtles",

author = "Pham, {Christopher K.} and Yasmina Rodr{\'i}guez and Axelle Dauphin and Rita Carri{\c c}o and Frias, {Jo{\~a}o P.G.L.} and Frederic Vandeperre and Vanessa Otero and Santos, {Marco R.} and Martins, {Helen R.} and Bolten, {Alan B.} and Bjorndal, {Karen A.}",

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year = "2017",

doi = "10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.008",

language = "English",

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Pham, CK, Rodríguez, Y, Dauphin, A, Carriço, R, Frias, JPGL, Vandeperre, F, Otero, V, Santos, MR, Martins, HR, Bolten, AB & Bjorndal, KA 2017, 'Plastic ingestion in oceanic-stage loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre', Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 121, no. 1-2, pp. 222-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.008

TY - JOUR

T1 - Plastic ingestion in oceanic-stage loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre

AU - Pham, Christopher K.

AU - Rodríguez, Yasmina

AU - Dauphin, Axelle

AU - Carriço, Rita

AU - Frias, João P.G.L.

AU - Vandeperre, Frederic

AU - Otero, Vanessa

AU - Santos, Marco R.

AU - Martins, Helen R.

AU - Bolten, Alan B.

AU - Bjorndal, Karen A.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Juvenile oceanic-stage sea turtles are particularly vulnerable to the increasing quantity of plastic coming into the oceans. In this study, we analysed the gastrointestinal tracts of 24 juvenile oceanic-stage loggerheads (Caretta caretta) collected off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, in the Azores region, a key feeding ground for juvenile loggerheads. Twenty individuals were found to have ingested marine debris (83%), composed exclusively of plastic items (primarily polyethylene and polypropylene) identified by μ-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Large microplastics (1–5 mm) represented 25% of the total number of debris and were found in 58% of the individuals sampled. Average number of items was 15.83 ± 6.09 (± SE) per individual, corresponding to a mean dry mass of 1.07 ± 0.41 g. The results of this study demonstrate that plastic pollution acts as another stressor for this critical life stage of loggerhead turtles in the North Atlantic.

AB - Juvenile oceanic-stage sea turtles are particularly vulnerable to the increasing quantity of plastic coming into the oceans. In this study, we analysed the gastrointestinal tracts of 24 juvenile oceanic-stage loggerheads (Caretta caretta) collected off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, in the Azores region, a key feeding ground for juvenile loggerheads. Twenty individuals were found to have ingested marine debris (83%), composed exclusively of plastic items (primarily polyethylene and polypropylene) identified by μ-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Large microplastics (1–5 mm) represented 25% of the total number of debris and were found in 58% of the individuals sampled. Average number of items was 15.83 ± 6.09 (± SE) per individual, corresponding to a mean dry mass of 1.07 ± 0.41 g. The results of this study demonstrate that plastic pollution acts as another stressor for this critical life stage of loggerhead turtles in the North Atlantic.

KW - Azores

KW - Caretta caretta

KW - North-Atlantic subtropical gyre

KW - Oceanic-stage

KW - Plastic

KW - Sea turtles

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EP - 229

JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin

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ER -

Plastic ingestion in oceanic-stage loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) off the North Atlantic subtropical gyre

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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