This study estimated the concentration of microplastics (i.e. plastics measuring less than 5mm) in marine mammal blubber and other tissues collected from Alaska, California and North Carolina during 2000-05-10 to 2021-05-05. Samples were obtained from stranded mammals. Information collected include digested wet weight, microplastic shape, color, weight, and polymer type. This dataset contains the results from all 10 samples, in a spreadsheet format.

This study was carried out to estimate the microplastics (i.e. plastics measuring less than 5mm, reported in unit of pieces/m^3) concentration in four coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea, namely, Saronikos Gulf, Ligurian Sea, Gulf of Lion, and Gabes Gulf. Microplastics data was collected from 2018-09-05 to 2019-11-20 using manta net. This dataset contains the results from all 71 surface net tows, in a spreadsheet format.

This study estimated the concentration of microplastics (i.e. plastics measuring less than 5mm; reported in unit of items/kg d.w.) in shoreline and seabed sediments in the Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA, during 2020-09-25 to 2021-06-03. Microplastics in the shoreline sediments were collected using a metal spoon while those in the seabed sediments were collected using a Van Veen grab sampler. Data on sediment dry weight (reported in unit of g) and individual counts of microplastic fibers, fragments and films are provided. This dataset contains the results from all 76 shoreline and 7 seabed sediment samples, in a spreadsheet format.

All data is combined into one excel file, with data separated into different spreadsheets. Data includes ingestion and egestion of various size microplastics in two Caribbean coral species, Pseudodiploria clivosa and Acropora cervicornis. Data also includes growth measurements (buoyant weight, tissue surface area, and calcification) of each species.

All data is combined into one excel file, with data separated into different spreadsheets. Data includes ingestion and egestion of various size microplastics in two Caribbean coral species, Pseudodiploria clivosa and Acropora cervicornis. Data also includes growth measurements (buoyant weight, tissue surface area, and calcification) of each species.

These data sets include a compilation of small vessel based studies of bottlenose dolphins that reside within Biscayne Bay, Florida, adjacent estuaries and nearshore coastal waters. The data consist primarily of photo-identification studies that use natural markings on animal dorsal fins to identify individuals over time. Surveys consist of line transects aboard small boats with concentrated effort to collect photographs of individuals. These photographs are reviewed to identify and catalog individual animals. In addition, several targeted studies have been conducted within this program to collect tissue biopsy samples for genetic and contaminant analyses. These data are used to examine demographic structure and population dynamics of the Biscayne Bay Estuarine System stock of bottlenose dolphins.

Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) photographic-identification surveys were conducted by the Texas A&M University at Galveston (TAMUG) Marine Mammal Behavioral Ecology Group, on the Texas coast and included Galveston Bay, West Bay, Matagorda Bay, Corpus Christi Bay, the lower Laguna Madre, and adjacent coastal waters from 1990 to 2001. Photos were initially collected using 35mm film cameras and converted into slides or developed into print photographs and archived in physical storage. The slide film and hardcopy images of individuals with distinct dorsal fin contours were later digitized and embedded with metadata. This dataset includes the digital photographs of dolphin groups, and individual dorsal fin images embedded with metadata including general geographic locations, dolphin mother-calf associations, calf identification, and dolphin group composition. This dataset also includes some tabular data that were recorded for the West Bay study area related to the digital photos.

The NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center conducted surveys within the southern North Carolina estuarine system from 2018-01-08 to 2018-01-26 to provide an updated estimate of abundance for the Southern North Carolina Estuarine System Stock (SNCESS) of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) using photographic-identification capture-mark-recapture (photo-ID) techniques. The surveys were strategically planned for winter when little overlap in distribution with the Northern North Carolina Estuarine System Stock (NNCESS) or coastal migratory stocks of bottlenose dolphins was expected. Because the sighting histories of individual dolphins have been an important tool for identifying or confirming stock membership, we also compared dolphins that were photo-identified during the 2018 surveys to dolphins that were included in a long-term photo-ID catalog dating back to 1995-07-10. Using the 2018 photographs and the long-term photo-ID catalog, we also evaluated the use of differences in Xenobalanus globicipitis infestation captured in photographs among individuals and groups as support for stock definition. This dataset contains the spatiotemporal sighting histories, photographs, observations of Xenobalanus globicipitis presence/absence, and environmental data for common bottlenose dolphin groups observed during the 2018 surveys. Data for individual dolphins observed during the 2018 surveys that were previously included in the long-term photo-ID catalog were provided as a subset with corresponding photographic matches. The sighting history and photographs of individuals matching from the long-term catalog are included with the exception of those dates indicated as capture events, as such photographs were not digitized.

This study estimated the abundance of microplastics (i.e., plastics measuring less than 5mm) on marine turtle nesting beaches during 2018-08-04 to 2020-01-24. Samples were collected with metallic trowel. Sand samples were collected from 209 sites spanning six oceans and 39 countries by a global network of marine turtle scientists. Microplastics were extracted through stacked sieves, visually identified, and a sub-sample verified via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Microplastic particles were counted and weighed, which in combination with the dry sand sample weight and volume, allowed multiple units of measure to be calculated: Plastic weight per kg of dry sediment (g kg-1), plastic particle number per kg of dry sediment (particle kg-1), and plastic particle number per m-3 of dry sediment (particle m-3). Plastic particles were also categorized into five types: industrial plastic pellets, foams, fragments, sheetlike user plastics and threadlike user plastics. This dataset contains the results from all 209 samples in a spreadsheet format.