Adrift Lab News
All of the latest updates about our research, events and conferences our members attend, and other articles of interest about Adrift Lab.
NEW PAPER: seabirds transport contaminants to their breeding islands
We determined trace metal concentrations in shearwater guano and assessed soil, vegetation, and soil invertebrates (slugs) from their breeding grounds on Lord Howe Island to find out if the birds were vectors (transporters of) marine pollutants. The guano contained higher concentrations of metals than most other seabird species, and we suspect this may have something to do with the huge quantities of plastics these birds consume. Full Article »
NEW PAPER: micro- and nanoplastics sampling and reporting guide
Over the past year, the Adrift Lab team (Lavers and Hollis) have been working with a team of researchers to develop an up-to-date and comprehensive guide for microplastic and nanoplastic sample collection and processing. The aim of these "field manuals" is to provide a concise summary of the state-of-the-science on how to undertake plastics sampling in a robust and repeatable way that ensures data quality and longevity. Full Article »
NEW PAPER: Significant seabird mortality following Cyclone Ilsa in Western Australia
On 13 April 2023, Cyclone Ilsa crossed Bedout Island off Western Australia’s remote north coast. We use repeated aerial and ground-based transect surveys to estimate total mortality for three species. In total, we estimate that 80–90% of the populations of Masked Booby, Brown Booby and Lesser Frigatebird were killed in the storm, with only 40 breeding Masked Booby (a putative endemic subspecies; Sula dactylatra bedouti) recorded on the island 15 weeks later Full Article »
Adrift Lab art-Sci collaboration featured in Barcelona photography exhibition
Photos of Adrift Lab's research on Lord Howe Island are featured in a new, international exhibition featuring images taken by internationally renowned photographer, Mandy Barker. The exhibition is being held at the Museu Diocesa in Barcelona and is showing from 20 March to 25 August 2024. Full Article »