Excited to share that a new study based on Colette Martin’s MSc thesis has just been published in Environmental Research. We investigated the microplastic exposure in White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) nestlings across Scotland and the Basque Country. We collected faecal samples from nestlings across territories with varying degrees of human land use, alongside with information on their body condition, a proxy for growth and health during early development.

Our results revealed that microplastics, with fibres as the most abundant, were present in 62.5% of the broods, with higher concentrations associated with nests in urban and agricultural areas. Despite this widespread exposure, microplastic load showed only a weak relationship with nestling body condition. These findings suggest that while microplastics are common in freshwater environments, the short-term effects in terms of growth of dipper nestlings may not be strongly affected. Nonetheless, further research is needed to fully understand the potential long-term effects on the birds' health and fitness.

We also wrote a small news outlet together with the colleagues from the University of Glasgow.