Erica L. Donnelly-Greenan, James T. Harvey, Hannahrose M. Nevins,
Michelle M. Hester, William A. Walker, Prey and plastic ingestion of
Pacific Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis rogersii) from Monterey
Bay, California, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 85, Issue 1, 15
August 2014, Pages 214-224, ISSN 0025-326X,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.05.046.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X14003373)
Abstract: Marine plastic pollution affects seabirds, including Pacific
Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis rodgersii), that feed at the
surface and mistake plastic for prey or incidentally ingest it. Direct
and indirect health issues can result, including satiety and possibly
leading to inefficient foraging. Our objective was to examine fulmar
body condition, identify cephalopod diet to species, enumerate and weigh
ingested plastic, and determine if prey number and size were correlated
with ingested plastics in beach-cast fulmars wintering in Monterey Bay
California (2003, n = 178: 2007, n = 185). Fulmars consumed mostly
Gonatus pyros, G. onyx, and G. californiensis of similar size for both
years. We found a significant negative correlation between pectoral
muscle index and average size of cephalopod beaks per stomach; a
significant increase in plastic categories between 2003 and 2007; and no
significant correlation between number and mass of plastic compared with
number and size of prey for either year.
Keywords: Northern Fulmar; Plastic; Cephalopod; Ingestion; Diet