Aquatic birds as dispersal vectors of plastics and ecotoxic-epidemiological implications: the role of trophic ecology and movement (IsoPlastic) - IsoPlastic
Las aves como vectores de dispersión de plásticos y sus implicaciones ecotoxicológicas: papel de la ecología trófica y ecología del movimiento
Principal investigator
Marta I. Sánchez
Financial institution
MIN CIENCIA E INNOVACION
Fecha de inicio
Fecha de fin
Code
PID2022-140057NB-I00
Department
Conservation Biology and Global Change
Researchers
Luna Fernandez, Alvaro; Afan Asencio, Maria Isabel
Brief description
The general objective of IsoPlastic is to investigate the role of aquatic birds as biovectors of plastics and its ecotoxic-epidemiological implications, using three bird species (white storks, yellow-legged gull and cattle egret) with common use of refuse dumps and connection to wetlands ecosystems. We will select populations feeding on landfills at different degrees, and will estimate plastic load to important wetlands of SW Spain through individual movement data and plastic dispersal models. In addition to feeding habitat information, we will use stable isotope analyses as proxy of the diet and use of food resources from landfills. IsoPlastic project will also consider the relationship between plastics and toxic chemicals exposure. We will include the assessment of the plastisphere associated to the plastics transported by birds