Anthropogenic solid waste is ubiquitous in bird nests in coastal multiple use protected areas

Abstract

Anthropogenic solid residues are a serious environmental issue, affecting both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Birds are particularly vulnerable to waste exposure, as they can interact with it through ingestion, entanglement, or by incorporating residues into their nests. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of anthropogenic residues in bird nests and how socio-environmental parameters affect nest anthropogenic contamination within and outside coastal protected areas. The results showed a widespread occurrence of anthropogenic residues in nests of 10 out of 17 bird species studied. Specifically, in nests of Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus a high contamination frequency (95 %) was verified. In the Generalized Linear Model urbanization levels and vegetation cover assessed using Human Modification Metric (HMc) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) did not have statistically significant effects on the presence of anthropogenic residues in bird nests. Similarly, nest location (inside or outside protected areas boundaries) and substrate type (natural or artificial) were not related to contamination level. Therefore, our results suggest that anthropogenic residues are already ubiquitous even within less anthropized areas. Such findings underscore the urgent need for enhanced waste management strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of anthropogenic waste on wildlife and local ecosystems, particularly in protected areas.