Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds
Authors: Clark Bethany L. , Carneiro Ana P. B. , Pearmain Elizabeth J. , Rouyer Marie-Morgane , Clay Thomas A. , Cowger Win , Phillips Richard A. , Manica Andrea , Hazin Carolina , Eriksen Marcus , González-Solís Jacob , Adams Josh , Albores-Barajas Yuri V. , Alfaro-Shigueto Joanna , Alho Maria Saldanha , Araujo Deusa Teixeira , Arcos José Manuel , Arnould John P. Y. , Barbosa Nadito J. P. , Barbraud Christophe , Beard Annalea M. , Beck Jessie , Bell Elizabeth A. , Bennet Della G. , Berlincourt Maud , Biscoito Manuel , Bjørnstad Oskar K. , Bolton Mark , Booth Jones Katherine A. , Borg John J. , Bourgeois Karen , Bretagnolle Vincent , Bried Joël , Briskie James V. , Brooke M. de L. , Brownlie Katherine C. , Bugoni Leandro , Calabrese Licia , Campioni Letizia , Carey Mark J. , Carle Ryan D. , Carlile Nicholas , Carreiro Ana R. , Catry Paulo , Catry Teresa , Cecere Jacopo G. , Ceia Filipe R. , Cherel Yves , Choi Chang-Yong , Cianchetti-Benedetti Marco , Clarke Rohan H. , Cleeland Jaimie B. , Colodro Valentina , Congdon Bradley C. , Danielsen Jóhannis , De Pascalis Federico , Deakin Zoe , Dehnhard Nina , Dell’Omo Giacomo , Delord Karine , Descamps Sébastien , Dilley Ben J. , Dinis Herculano A. , Dubos Jerome , Dunphy Brendon J. , Emmerson Louise M. , Fagundes Ana Isabel , Fayet Annette L. , Felis Jonathan J. , Fischer Johannes H. , Freeman Amanda N. D. , Fromant Aymeric , Gaibani Giorgia , García David , Gjerdrum Carina , Gomes Ivandra Soeli Gonçalves Correia , Forero Manuela G. , Granadeiro José P. , Grecian W. James , Grémillet David , Guilford Tim , Hallgrimsson Gunnar Thor , Halpin Luke R. , Hansen Erpur Snær , Hedd April , Helberg Morten , Helgason Halfdan H. , Henry Leeann M. , Hereward Hannah F. R. , Hernandez-Montero Marcos , Hindell Mark A. , Hodum Peter J. , Imperio Simona , Jaeger Audrey , Jessopp Mark , Jodice Patrick G. R. , Jones Carl G. , Jones Christopher W. , Jónsson Jón Einar , Kane Adam , Kapelj Sven , Kim Yuna , Kirk Holly , Kolbeinsson Yann , Kraemer Philipp L. , Krüger Lucas , Lago Paulo , Landers Todd J. , Lavers Jennifer L. , Le Corre Matthieu , Leal Andreia , Louzao Maite , Madeiros Jeremy , Magalhães Maria , Mallory Mark L. , Masello Juan F. , Massa Bruno , Matsumoto Sakiko , McDuie Fiona , McFarlane Tranquilla Laura , Medrano Fernando , Metzger Benjamin J. , Militão Teresa , Montevecchi William A. , Montone Rosalinda C. , Navarro-Herrero Leia , Neves Verónica C. , Nicholls David G. , Nicoll Malcolm A. C. , Norris Ken , Oppel Steffen , Oro Daniel , Owen Ellie , Padget Oliver , Paiva Vítor H. , Pala David , Pereira Jorge M. , Péron Clara , Petry Maria V. , de Pina Admilton , Pina Ariete T. Moreira , Pinet Patrick , Pistorius Pierre A. , Pollet Ingrid L. , Porter Benjamin J. , Poupart Timothée A. , Powell Christopher D. L. , Proaño Carolina B. , Pujol-Casado Júlia , Quillfeldt Petra , Quinn John L. , Raine Andre F. , Raine Helen , Ramírez Iván , Ramos Jaime A. , Ramos Raül , Ravache Andreas , Rayner Matt J. , Reid Timothy A. , Robertson Gregory J. , Rocamora Gerard J. , Rollinson Dominic P. , Ronconi Robert A. , Rotger Andreu , Rubolini Diego , Ruhomaun Kevin , Ruiz Asunción , Russell James C. , Ryan Peter G. , Saldanha Sarah , Sanz-Aguilar Ana , Sardà-Serra Mariona , Satgé Yvan G. , Sato Katsufumi , Schäfer Wiebke C. , Schoombie Stefan , Shaffer Scott A. , Shah Nirmal , Shoji Akiko , Shutler Dave , Sigurðsson Ingvar A. , Silva Mónica C. , Small Alison E. , Soldatini Cecilia , Strøm Hallvard , Surman Christopher A. , Takahashi Akinori , Tatayah Vikash R. V. , Taylor Graeme A. , Thomas Robert J. , Thompson David R. , Thompson Paul M. , Thórarinsson Thorkell L. , Vicente-Sastre Diego , Vidal Eric , Wakefield Ewan D. , Waugh Susan M. , Weimerskirch Henri , Wittmer Heiko U. , Yamamoto Takashi , Yoda Ken , Zavalaga Carlos B. , Zino Francis J. , Dias Maria P. 
Published: July 2023

Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during foraging and migration. However, the spatial overlap between petrels and plastics is poorly understood. Here we combine marine plastic density estimates with individual movement data for 7137 birds of 77 petrel species to estimate relative exposure risk. We identify high exposure risk areas in the Mediterranean and Black seas, and the northeast Pacific, northwest Pacific, South Atlantic and southwest Indian oceans. Plastic exposure risk varies greatly among species and populations, and between breeding and non-breeding seasons. Exposure risk is disproportionately high for Threatened species. Outside the Mediterranean and Black seas, exposure risk is highest in the high seas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the USA, Japan, and the UK. Birds generally had higher plastic exposure risk outside the EEZ of the country where they breed. We identify conservation and research priorities, and highlight that international collaboration is key to addressing the impacts of marine plastic on wide-ranging species.