Microplastics in Greylag Goose (<i>Anser anser</i>) Feces from Lake Ercek (Eastern Anatolia, Turkiye): Occurrence, Temporal Variation, and Polymer Characterization.

ABSTRACT: Background: Microplastics (MPs; <5 mm) are pervasive contaminants that can compromise freshwater wetland integrity and wildlife health, yet field evidence from inland systems and non-invasive biomonitoring remains limited. To address this gap, we provide a non-invasive, feces-based baseline for a key wintering waterbird in an inland soda-lake wetland of Türkiye, supported by polymer confirmation. Methods: We evaluated MP occurrence in fecal deposits of the Greylag Goose (Anser anser), a key wintering waterbird at Lake Erçek (Eastern Anatolia, Türkiye), using non-invasive sampling across five periods (October 2024-February 2025). We collected 400 fecal deposits and pooled them into five time-specific composite samples. Accordingly, temporal comparisons are presented des

SUBMITTER: Celik E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12944368 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature