Past progress and future opportunities: Monitoring microplastic pollution in the North Pacific Stephanie Avery-Gomm University of Queensland #PICES2019 @saverygo “The objects flying through the air in this picture would take 40 hours to clean – except no house-wife need bother. They are all meant to be thrown away after use.” >8 million metric tons of plastic waste enters the ocean each year Jambeck et al., 2015 Science Plastic is everywhere Water bottle degradation over ~3 years Inaccessible Island ©Peter G. Ryan Hundreds of species have ingested plastic Provencher et al., 2018 Enviro Rev Frequency of occurrence of plastic ingestion (± SD) 0.0 0.5 1.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 (G) (D) (A) Bottom.Feeding Pursuit.Diving Method Foraging Opportunistic Surface.Plunging Yes No Nocturnality Dipping Aerial.Pursuit Surface.Seizing Pattering Scavenging No Yes Skimming Pursuit.Plunging (H) (E) (B) Mixed Other.Inverts < 100 Bird Mass(g) Subadult/Adult Cephalopods Age Diet > 1000 Subadult Fish 100−500 Adult Carrion.Birds Nest−bound Crustaceans 500−1000 (C) (F) (I) Anseriformes 1960s 1 Charadriiformes 2 1970s 3 Sample Size Phaethontiformes Decade Order 4 Gaviiformes 1980s 5 Pelecaniformes 1990s 21−50 Suliformes 51−100 2000s >100 Sphenisciformes 10−Jun Procellariiformes 2010s 20−Nov have ingested plastic Histrionicus histrionicus Histrionicus Melanitta perspicillata Melanitta Stercorarius longicaudus Stercorarius Hundreds Somateria mollissima Somateria Bucephala islandica Bucephala parasiticus Stercorarius Somateria spectabilis Somateria Phalaropus fulicarius Phalaropus Stercorarius pomarinus Stercorarius Clangula hyemalis Clangula Catharacta maccormicki Catharacta Phalaropus lobatus Phalaropus (J) Cerorhinca monocerata Cerorhinca Catharacta antarctica Catharacta Melanitta fusca Melanitta Aythya marila Aythya Ptychoramphus aleuticus Ptychoramphus Catharacta skua Catharacta Fratercula corniculata Fratercula Fratercula cirrhata Fratercula Synthliboramphus hypoleucus Synthliboramphus Fratercula arctica Fratercula Synthliboramphus antiquus Synthliboramphus Aethia cristatella Aethia Brachyramphus brevirostris Brachyramphus Aethia pygmaea Aethia Brachyramphus marmoratus Brachyramphus Aethia psittacula Aethia Cepphus columba Cepphus 1 Cepphus grylle Cepphus Procelsterna cerulea Procelsterna Uria lomvia Uria Uria aalge Uria Alca torda Alca Alle alle Alle Sterna hirundo Sterna 0 alba Gygis Sterna aleutica Sterna Sterna nereis Sterna Sterna albifrons Sterna Sterna paradisaea Sterna Sterna hirundinacea Sterna Sterna vittata Sterna Sterna dougallii Sterna Sterna fuscata Sterna Sterna lunata Sterna Chlidonias niger Chlidonias frequency ofoccurrence sandvicensis Sterna Sterna bergii Sterna Sterna maxima Sterna Anous tenuirostris Anous of plasticingestion Anous stolidus Anous Anous minutus Anous Rissa brevirostris Rissa Empirical mean Rissa tridactyla Rissa Xema sabini Xema Pagophila eburnea Pagophila Larus philadelphia Larus Larus ridibundus Larus Larus novaehollandiae Larus Larus hartlaubii Larus Larus audouinii Larus Larus melanocephalus Larus Larus crassirostris Larus Larus canus Larus Larus heermanni Larus 1 0 hyperboreus Larus Avery argentatus Larus Larus marinus Larus of species Puffinus carneipescreatopus Puffinus Larus michahellis Puffinus gravis Puffinus Larus dominicanus Puffinus griseus Puffinus Larus fuscus Puffinus tenuirostris Puffinus Larus schistisagus Puffinus newelli Puffinus Larus glaucoides Puffinus assimilis Puffinus Larus glaucescens Puffinus yelkouan Puffinus Phaethon lepturus Puffinus mauretanicus Puffinus Phaethon rubricauda Puffinus gavia Puffinus Gavia stellata Puffinus huttoni Puffinus Gavia pacifica Puffinus pacificus Puffinus Gavia immer - bulleri Puffinus Pelecanus conspicillatus Puffinus puffinus Puffinus Fregata minor Gomm nativitatis Puffinus Fregata ariel Calonectris leucomelas Calonectris Fregata magnificens Calonectris diomedea Calonectris Morus bassanus Calonectris edwardsii Calonectris Morus capensis Pseudobulweria rostrata Pseudobulweria Morus serrator Procellaria conspicillata Procellaria Sula sula Procellaria aequinoctialis Procellaria Sula leucogaster Procellaria westlandica Procellaria Sula dactylatra Procellaria cinerea Procellaria Phalacrocorax auritus Procellaria parkinsoni Procellaria Phalacrocorax carbo Bulweria bulwerii Bulweria Phalacrocorax neglectus Pterodroma lessonii Pterodroma Phalacrocorax urile Pterodroma macroptera Pterodroma Phalacrocorax capensis Pterodroma incerta Pterodroma Phalacrocorax pelagicus Pterodroma neglecta Pterodroma Phalacrocorax coronatus Pterodroma arminjoniana Pterodroma Phalacrocorax aristotelis Pterodroma alba Pterodroma Phalacrocorax atriceps Pterodroma phaeopygia Pterodroma Pygoscelis adeliae Pterodroma cookii Pterodroma Pygoscelis antarcticus Pterodroma longirostris Pterodroma Pygoscelis papua Pterodroma mollis Pterodroma Aptenodytes forsteri et al. Pterodroma brevipes Pterodroma Aptenodytes patagonicus Pterodroma pycrofti Pterodroma Spheniscus magellanicus Pterodroma hypoleuca Pterodroma Spheniscus demersus Pterodroma inexpectata Pterodroma Spheniscus humboldti Pterodroma ultima Pterodroma Megadyptes antipodes Pterodroma atrata Pterodroma Eudyptes chrysolophus Pterodroma cervicalis Pterodroma Eudyptes moseleyi Pterodroma externa Pterodroma Eudyptes chrysocome Pterodroma leucoptera Pterodroma Oceanodroma castro Pterodroma solandri Pterodroma Oceanodroma furcata Pterodroma nigripennis Pterodroma Hydrobates pelagicus Pachyptila desolata Pachyptila Oceanodroma leucorhoa Pachyptila salvini Pachyptila Oceanodroma tristrami Pachyptila turtur Pachyptila Oceanodroma tethys Pachyptila belcheri Pachyptila Oceanodroma melania Pachyptila vittata Pachyptila Oceanodroma markhami Halobaena caerulea Halobaena Fregetta tropica Pelecanoides georgicus Pelecanoides Fregetta grallaria Pelecanoides magellani Pelecanoides Garrodia nereis Pelecanoides urinatrix Pelecanoides Nesofregetta fuliginosa Lugensa brevirostris Lugensa Pelagodroma marina Fulmarus glacialis Fulmarus Oceanites gracilis Fulmarus glacialoides Fulmarus Oceanites oceanicus Macronectes halli Macronectes Phoebastria irrorata Macronectes giganteus Macronectes Phoebastria nigripes Daption capense Daption Phoebastria immutabilis Pagodroma nivea Pagodroma Diomedea epomophora Thalassoica antarctica Thalassoica Diomedea sanfordi Diomedea exulans Diomedea Diomedea dabbenena Thalassarche cauta Thalassarche Diomedea antipodensis In review Thalassarche steadi Thalassarche Phoebetria fusca Thalassarche salvini Thalassarche Phoebetria palpebrata Thalassarche eremita Thalassarche Thalassarche chlororhynchos Thalassarche bulleri Thalassarche Thalassarche carteri Thalassarche impavida Thalassarche Thalassarche chrysostoma Thalassarche melanophrys effects on assemblages altered assemblages effects on population grows at a slower rate populations fewer individuals successfully reproducing and rearing young effects on organism mortality slower growth of birds damaged parasites sub-lethal gastric tissue effects less altered dehydration feeding immunity reduced volume of blocked perforated pathogen chemical stomach stomach stomach transfer to transfer to initiation tissue tissues plastic ingestion climate change habitat availability entanglement multiple stressors fisheries food persistent organic by-catch availability pollutants oil pollution invasive species heavy metals Browne et al. 2015 Proc R Soc B Plastics are a diverse suite of contaminants Rochman et al. 2019 Enviro Toxicol Chem effects on assemblages altered assemblages effects on population grows at a slower rate populations fewer individuals successfully reproducing and rearing young effects on organism mortality slower growth of birds damaged parasites sub-lethal gastric tissue effects less altered dehydration feeding immunity reduced volume of blocked perforated pathogen chemical stomach stomach stomach transfer to transfer to initiation tissue tissues plastic ingestion climate change habitat availability entanglement multiple stressors fisheries food persistent organic by-catch availability pollutants oil pollution invasive species heavy metals Browne et al. 2015 Proc R Soc B How do we get a better picture of what is going on with plastic pollution in the North Pacific? Can we monitor plastic debris in a cost- effective way that detects spatial and temporal trends across an entire ocean? How will we detect success? Monitoring microplastic pollution 1. Direct sampling of plastic pollution at sea 2. Using biological monitoring 3. Beach surveys Monitoring microplastic pollution 1. Direct sampling of plastic pollution at sea 2. Using biological monitoring 3. Beach surveys Ryan et al. 2009 Proc Roy Soc B Monitoring microplastic pollution 1. Direct sampling of plastic pollution at sea 2. Using biological monitoring 3. Beach surveys Ryan et al. 2009 Proc Roy Soc B Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) are effective monitors of marine plastic pollution Breeding Non-Breeding Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) are effective monitors of marine plastic pollution “…because they are fools, they make great tools” • Stomach content = quantitative data about plastic at sea • Sources: Beached Bird Surveys, Fisheries Bycatch • Already vetted as a bio monitor for marine litter Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) are effective monitors of marine plastic pollution “…because they are fools, they make great tools” • Stomach content = quantitative data about plastic at sea • Sources: Beached Bird Surveys, Fisheries Bycatch • Already vetted as a bio monitor for marine