Plastic intake by marine vertebrates has been widely reported, but information about its presence in continental waterfowl is scarce. Here we analyzed faeces of waterbirds species (European coot, Fulica atra, mallard, Anas platyrhynchos and shelduck, Tadorna tadorna) for plastic debris in five wetlands in Central Spain. We collected 89 faeces of shelduck distributed in four lakes, 43.8% of them presented plastic remnants. Sixty percent of 10 faeces of European coot and 45% of 40 faeces of mallard contained plastic debris. Plastic debris found was of two types, threads and fragments, and were identified as remnants of plastic objects used in agricultural fields surrounding the lakes. Differences in prevalence of plastic in faeces, number of plastic pieces per excrement and size of the plastic pieces were not statistically significant between waterfowl species. Thus, our results suggest that plastic may also be frequently ingested by waterfowl in continental waters, at least in our study area. Future studies should address this potential problem for waterbird conservation in other wetlands to evaluate the real impact of this pollutant on waterbirds living in inland water.

No abstract

No abstract

Temporary inland wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems worldwide, and recognition of the factors that determine species richness in different seasons is key for developing conservation plans for these systems. La Mancha Húmeda Biosphere Reserve in central Spain has many inland wetlands of this type, but the driving ecological processes of species richness are poorly understood. This study examines the association of landscape and local variables with species richness patterns of inland wetlands of La Mancha Húmeda Biosphere Reserve during winter and the breeding season. The number of lakes in several increasing radii was a proxy of connectivity, and maximum flooded surface and shoreline length were surrogates of the species–area relationship. Other landscape and local habitat variables, such as hydroperiod (length of inundation period), distance from human settlements, shoreline development index, vegetation surface cover, average lake depth, number of islands and surface area of islands were also analysed. Hierarchical partitioning analysis was used to evaluate the contribution of the environmental variables to explain the species richness of waders. Species richness (26 species, four threatened in Europe) had different associations with the variables during the wintering and breeding seasons. The richness of breeding and wintering species was positively associated with hydroperiod and maximum flooded surface area respectively. No variable measured was negatively associated with species richness in any season. Hydroperiod and flooded surface area are altered directly by human activities. Water extraction for irrigation reduces hydroperiod in some wetlands, whereas wastewater input extends hydroperiod in others, promoting wader concentrations in lakes flooded in summer and potentially favouring botulism outbreaks. In addition, the lack of protection and management on most of the lakes in La Mancha Húmeda Biosphere Reserve also favours encroachment of agriculture, destroying and degrading habitat for wintering and breeding waders.

No abstract