Solid waste ingestion by marine megafauna on Southeast Brazilian coast

The disparities in the ecology and behavior of marine megafauna may influence their susceptibility to solid waste ingestion; however, this relationship has been underestimated along the Brazilian coast. We analyzed a dataset of 7261 marine megafauna (45 species) necropsied to investigate the influence of their foraging strategies on solid waste ingestion. A total of 1240 specimens ingested solid waste with over 55 % (689) that ingested plastic. Sea turtles were the most impacted taxa, while cetaceans present the lowest frequency. Some characteristics such as regurgitation (e.g., Suliformes and Charadriiformes seabirds) or possess complex foraging strategies (e.g., ceta-ceans echolocation) may mitigate the negative effects of solid waste ingestion. Also, the variability over the monitoring program likely was influenced by the volume of pollutants transported to the ocean during flood periods, and level of staff training. This study serves as a valuable baseline for solid waste management actions and marine megafauna conservation efforts.

Automated summary

This study analyzed a dataset of 7261 marine megafauna to investigate the influence of their foraging strategies on solid waste ingestion along the Brazilian coast. Results showed that 1240 individuals ingested solid waste, with over 55% ingesting plastic. Sea turtles were the most affected, while cetaceans had the lowest frequency of ingestion. Certain characteristics, such as regurgitation in seabirds and echolocation in cetaceans, may mitigate the negative effects of solid waste ingestion. This study provides a valuable baseline for solid waste management and marine megafauna conservation efforts.