Microplastics in the diets of juvenile fish of Texas Coastal Bend bays

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dc.contributor.advisorGeist, Simon
dc.contributor.authorRyan, M. Gray
dc.contributor.authorRyan, Molly
dc.contributor.committeeMemberSeemann, Frauke
dc.contributor.committeeMemberScarpa, John
dc.date.accessioned2022-08-02T17:46:19Z
dc.date.available2022-08-02T17:46:19Z
dc.date.issued2022-05
dc.description.abstractMicroplastic ingestion by juvenile fish, which is highly context-dependent and poorly understood in situ, has not previously been examined in the critical nursery habitat of rural Texas Coastal Bend bays and estuaries. To provide a baseline quantification of microplastics ingested by juvenile fish in rural Texas Coastal Bend bays, juvenile fish belonging to seven taxonomic groups were collected throughout the year from Aransas Bay, Baffin Bay, Matagorda Bay, and San Antonio Bay in Texas, USA, and microplastics in their digestive tracts (n=669) were quantified by size, type, and color. Total microplastic ingestion was dependent on season (p=0.002), with the highest ingestion rate occurring in in November and December (0.7201 microplastics per fish) and did not differ significantly between bays (p=0.206). Fish condition indices calculated using whole and gutted weight were not significantly affected by microplastics ingestion (p=0.456 and p=0.854, respectively), nor were hepatosomatic indices calculated using whole and gutted weight (p=0.227 and p=0.460, respectively). However, spatial, temporal, and species-dependent variation in microplastic ingestion was highly dependent on microplastic color, type, and size. It is likely that there are factors influencing the degree to which juvenile fish ingest microplastics in rural Texas Coastal Bend bays other than merely what is present in the fish’s habitat. While these factors are thus far unknown, further exploration of the effect of microplastic ingestion by juvenile fish on their health is needed.en_US
dc.description.collegeCollege of Science and Engineeringen_US
dc.description.departmentLife Sciencesen_US
dc.format.extent88 pagesen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/93579
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rightsThis material is made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with its source. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the author and/or publisher.en_US
dc.subjectestuarine fishen_US
dc.subjectfisheriesen_US
dc.subjectjuvenile fishen_US
dc.subjectmicroplasticsen_US
dc.subjectmicroplastics ingestionen_US
dc.subjectTexas Coastal Benden_US
dc.titleMicroplastics in the diets of juvenile fish of Texas Coastal Bend baysen_US
dc.typeTexten_US
dc.type.genreThesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineFisheries &Â Maricultureen_US
thesis.degree.grantorTexas A & M University--Corpus Christien_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen_US

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