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Article Dans Une Revue Frontiers in Marine Science Année : 2017

Plastic debris occurrence, convergence areas and fin whales feeding ground in the Mediterranean Marine Protected Area Pelagos Sanctuary: a modelling approach

Maria Cristina Fossi
  • Fonction : Auteur
Teresa Romeo
  • Fonction : Auteur
Matteo Panti
  • Fonction : Auteur
Letizia Marsili
  • Fonction : Auteur
Tommaso Campani
  • Fonction : Auteur
Simonepietro Canese
  • Fonction : Auteur
Jean-Noël Druon
  • Fonction : Auteur
Sabina Airoldi
  • Fonction : Auteur
Stefano Taddei
  • Fonction : Auteur
Maria Fattorini
  • Fonction : Auteur
Carlo Brandini
  • Fonction : Auteur
Chiara Lapucci
  • Fonction : Auteur

Résumé

The Mediterranean Sea is greatly affected by marine litter. In this area, research on the impact of plastic debris (including microplastics) on biota, particularly large filter-feeding species such as the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), is still in its infancy. We investigated the possible overlap between microplastic, mesoplastic and macrolitter accumulation areas and the fin whale feeding grounds in in a pelagic Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI): the Pelagos Sanctuary. Models of ocean circulation and fin whale potential habitat were merged to compare marine litter accumulation with the presence of whales. Additionally, field data on microplastics, mesoplastics and macrolitter abundance and cetacean presence were simultaneously collected. The resulting data were compared, as a multi-layer, with the simulated distribution of plastic concentration and the whale habitat model. These data showed a high occurrence of microplastics (mean: 0.082 items/m2, STD ± 0.079 items/m2) spatial distribution agreed with our modelling results. Areas with high microplastic density significantly overlapped with areas of high macroplastic density. The most abundant polymer detected in all the sampling sites was polyethylene (PE), suggesting fragmentation of larger packaging items as the primary source. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the Pelagos Sanctuary in which the simulated microplastic distribution has been confirmed by field observations. The overlap between the fin whale feeding habitat and the microplastic hot spots is an important contribution for risk assessment of fin whale exposure to microplastics.

Dates et versions

hal-04201880 , version 1 (11-09-2023)

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Citer

Maria Cristina Fossi, Teresa Romeo, Matteo Panti, Letizia Marsili, Tommaso Campani, et al.. Plastic debris occurrence, convergence areas and fin whales feeding ground in the Mediterranean Marine Protected Area Pelagos Sanctuary: a modelling approach. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2017, 4 (167), 15p. ⟨10.3389/fmars.2017.00167⟩. ⟨hal-04201880⟩
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