K.M. Verlis, M.L. Campbell, S.P. Wilson, Marine debris is selected as
nesting material by the brown booby (Sula leucogaster) within the Swain
Reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume
87, Issues 1?2, 15 October 2014, Pages 180-190, ISSN 0025-326X,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.07.060.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X14005190)
Abstract: Many seabirds are impacted by marine debris through its
presence in foraging and nesting areas. To determine the extent of this
problem, marine debris use in nest material of the brown booby (Sula
leucogaster) in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, was investigated.
Nine cays were examined using beach and nest surveys. On average, four
marine debris items were found per nest (n = 96) with 58.3% of surveyed
nests containing marine debris. The source of marine debris in nests and
transects were primarily oceanic. Hard plastic items dominated both nest
(56.8%) and surveyed beaches (72.8%), however only two item types were
significantly correlated between these surveys. Nest surveys indicated
higher levels of black and green items compared to beach transects. This
selectivity for colours and items suggest these nests are not good
indicators of environmental loads. This is the first study to examine S.
leucogaster nests for marine debris in this location.
Keywords: Seabird; Plastic pollution; Threat; Beach survey;
Environmental indicator