The recording of this program from 12 November 2024 is now available online

Exposure and effects of plastic pollution in avian species, with UCSC Prof. Dr. Myra Finkelstein.

Plastic use has exponentially increased over the past several decades, which in turn has resulted in an exponential increase in plastic pollution. Many species are negatively affected by plastic ingestion, although data on the population-level effects of plastic pollution are limited. Dr. Finkelstein will provide an overview of how avian species are exposed and harmed by plastic, with a particular focus on seabirds.

Dr. Myra Finkelstein is an Adjunct Professor in the Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department at the University of California Santa Cruz.  Her research focuses on human impacts to wildlife with an emphasis on contaminant-induced effects. Dr. Finkelstein has contributed significantly to understanding the chronic exposure to lead ammunition as the number one mortality factor for free-flying California Condors. Her research played a significant role in raising awareness of the lead ammunition issue which resulted in the passage of the bill to prohibit the use of lead ammunition for hunting throughout California, the first such law in the nation. Dr. Finkelstein has also led extensive research on plastic pollution and toxicology in marine seabirds, such as the Laysan and Black-footed Albatross.  Dr. Finkelstein’s work is part of a new hybrid approach to research using environmental toxicology to inform conservation biology.  Join us as we learn more about this important and policy-relevant research.