Ecoa Lab

Plastic pollution in the floodplains of the Amazon rainforest

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Plastic pollution is circulating in all of the Earth's systems. However, most studies focus on coastal ecosystems, leaving a large knowledge gap in terrestrial ecosystems. Our aim in this project is to understand plastic pollution in remote areas of the Amazon rainforest by assessing how plastic flows through the trophic webs of the floodplain lakes of the Juruá River. We will address plastic pollution from its accumulation in the environment to ingestion by top predators, which represent the basis of the local economy and livelihoods of indigenous peoples. To understand the pathways that plastic follows in the food web, we will combine stable isotope analysis with an assessment of plastic ingestion. We will also assess community perceptions of plastic pollution and the historical processes that led to the introduction of plastic in the region. We also intend to introduce the problem of plastic into the circular economy efforts already underway in the region.

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