Dear all

I am pleased to announce the publication of our paper:

P.Burkhardt-Holm & A. N’Guyen: Ingestion of microplastics by fish and other prey organisms of cetaceans, exemplified for two large baleen whale species. Marine Pollution Bulletin 144 (2019) 224–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.04.068

Abstract

Knowledge on microplastic (MP) ingestion by cetaceans is difficult to obtain. We infer the potential for MP

uptake by cetaceans from the occurrence of MP in prey species. First, we reviewed information on whale prey

species, focussing on common minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and sei whale (B. borealis), for which the most

comprehensive quantitative datasets exist. Second, evidence of MP ingestion by their prey species was reviewed.

We found common minke whales forage opportunistically on fish from various families: Ammodytidae,

Clupeidae, Gadidae, Engraulidae and Osmeridae. Sei whales mostly feed on copepods, Engraulidae, Clupeidae

and Scombridae. High levels of MP contamination are reported for Scombridae in the Atlantic and Engraulidae

in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. Copepods exhibit low levels of MP ingestion in the Northeast Pacific Ocean.

Species-specific prey preferences and feeding strategies imply different cetaceans have varied potential for MP

uptake, even if they feed in similar geographic areas.

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Kind regards

Patricia Holm

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Patricia Burkhardt-Holm | Professor of Ecology

University of Basel | Department of Enviromental Sciences | Man-Society-Enviroment | https://mgu.unibas.ch/en

Address Vesalgasse 1 | CH-4051 Basel | Switzerland

E-Mail patricia.holm@unibas.ch

Tel secretary. +41 61 207 04 00 | Tel direct +41 61 207 04 02 | Fax +41 61 207 04 09