Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal cities

The increase of plastic pollution represents a significant ecological threat, particularly in human-impacted environments. However, the effects of plastic ingestion by urban wildlife are less understood. This study investigates the presence of microplastic (MPs; plastic <5 mm in size) and macropl...

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Autores: Max, A, Martín-Vélez, V, Navarro, J, Borrell, A, Montalvo, T, Garcia-Garin, O
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)
Repositorio:r-IIB SANT PAU. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau
OAI Identifier:oai:iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com:p19066
Acceso en línea:https://iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com/Publicaciones/ProdCientif/PublicacionFrw.aspx?id=19066
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Microplastics
Macroplastics
Yellow-legged Gull
Pollution
Bioindicator
Stable isotopes
Diet analysis
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spelling Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal citiesMax, AMartín-Vélez, VNavarro, JBorrell, AMontalvo, TGarcia-Garin, OMicroplasticsMacroplasticsYellow-legged GullPollutionBioindicatorStable isotopesDiet analysisThe increase of plastic pollution represents a significant ecological threat, particularly in human-impacted environments. However, the effects of plastic ingestion by urban wildlife are less understood. This study investigates the presence of microplastic (MPs; plastic <5 mm in size) and macroplastics (MaPs, plastic >5 mm in size) in yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) chicks inhabiting the urban marine ecosystem of Barcelona (northeastern Spain). The stomach contents of 56 gull chicks were analysed, revealing the presence of MPs in 100 % of the individuals and MaPs in 19.64 % of individuals. Additionally, trophic analysis, through stomach content and stable isotope determination, identified links between diet and plastic ingestion, with diet diversity associated with higher MaP abundance. These results highlight the high presence of plastics in the early stages of an urban-dwelling wildlife species and open the potential role of the use of urban gull chicks as sentinels of marine and terrestrial pollution in urban coastal areas. The findings suggest that chicks can serve as bioindicators of plastic pollution, emphasizing the urgent need to address the high levels of plastic contamination in urban environments.PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD2025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttps://iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com/Publicaciones/ProdCientif/PublicacionFrw.aspx?id=19066MARINE POLLUTION BULLETINISSN: 0025326XISSNe: 18793363reponame:r-IIB SANT PAU. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pauinstname:Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)Inglésinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com:p190662026-06-14T12:41:47Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal cities
title Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal cities
spellingShingle Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal cities
Max, A
Microplastics
Macroplastics
Yellow-legged Gull
Pollution
Bioindicator
Stable isotopes
Diet analysis
title_short Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal cities
title_full Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal cities
title_fullStr Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal cities
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal cities
title_sort Characterization of plastic ingestion in urban gull chicks and its implications for their use as pollution sentinels in coastal cities
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Max, A
Martín-Vélez, V
Navarro, J
Borrell, A
Montalvo, T
Garcia-Garin, O
author Max, A
author_facet Max, A
Martín-Vélez, V
Navarro, J
Borrell, A
Montalvo, T
Garcia-Garin, O
author_role author
author2 Martín-Vélez, V
Navarro, J
Borrell, A
Montalvo, T
Garcia-Garin, O
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Microplastics
Macroplastics
Yellow-legged Gull
Pollution
Bioindicator
Stable isotopes
Diet analysis
topic Microplastics
Macroplastics
Yellow-legged Gull
Pollution
Bioindicator
Stable isotopes
Diet analysis
description The increase of plastic pollution represents a significant ecological threat, particularly in human-impacted environments. However, the effects of plastic ingestion by urban wildlife are less understood. This study investigates the presence of microplastic (MPs; plastic <5 mm in size) and macroplastics (MaPs, plastic >5 mm in size) in yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) chicks inhabiting the urban marine ecosystem of Barcelona (northeastern Spain). The stomach contents of 56 gull chicks were analysed, revealing the presence of MPs in 100 % of the individuals and MaPs in 19.64 % of individuals. Additionally, trophic analysis, through stomach content and stable isotope determination, identified links between diet and plastic ingestion, with diet diversity associated with higher MaP abundance. These results highlight the high presence of plastics in the early stages of an urban-dwelling wildlife species and open the potential role of the use of urban gull chicks as sentinels of marine and terrestrial pollution in urban coastal areas. The findings suggest that chicks can serve as bioindicators of plastic pollution, emphasizing the urgent need to address the high levels of plastic contamination in urban environments.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com/Publicaciones/ProdCientif/PublicacionFrw.aspx?id=19066
url https://iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com/Publicaciones/ProdCientif/PublicacionFrw.aspx?id=19066
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
publisher.none.fl_str_mv PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
ISSN: 0025326X
ISSNe: 18793363
reponame:r-IIB SANT PAU. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau
instname:Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)
instname_str Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)
reponame_str r-IIB SANT PAU. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau
collection r-IIB SANT PAU. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau
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