Dr Zara Botterell's Avatar

Dr Zara Botterell

@zarabotterell

Marine Biodiversity Researcher at Bluedot Associates, UK Marine Verts and Inverts, Conservation, Plastic Pollution ๐Ÿฆˆ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿ‹๐Ÿฆž๐Ÿฆ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿฆ€ ๐ŸŒŠ

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16.10.2023
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Latest posts by Dr Zara Botterell @zarabotterell

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Impacts of mixed microplastics on marine life Innovative study indicates that a mixed microplastic blend may be substantially more toxic than a single polymer on a key marine food-web species.

A #NewStudy reveals that mixed #microplastic blends may be substantially more toxic to key marine food-web species than single polymers: pml.ac.uk/news/impacts...

29.04.2025 13:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 8 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
A screenshot of a scientific manuscript including the title and initial author list

A screenshot of a scientific manuscript including the title and initial author list

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Fresh from the digital presses, if you've been curious about microplastic contamination of beaches, check out this absolutely massive effort. Congrats @zarabotterell.bsky.social for seeing this across the finish line!

tinyurl.com/3c2eusdj
๐Ÿฆ‘๐Ÿข๐Ÿ๐ŸŒŠ๐Ÿ–๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿงช

20.03.2025 14:51 ๐Ÿ‘ 7 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
background is two sea turtle hatchlings. around the edges are shapes to depict microplastics. text reads: 'microplastics abundant on almost half of turtle nesting beaches globally. botterell et al (2025) marine pollution bulletin.' the university of exeter logo is n the bottom right corner.

background is two sea turtle hatchlings. around the edges are shapes to depict microplastics. text reads: 'microplastics abundant on almost half of turtle nesting beaches globally. botterell et al (2025) marine pollution bulletin.' the university of exeter logo is n the bottom right corner.

blurred background of two sea turtle hatchlings around the edges are shapes to depict microplastics. text reads: 'in a huge co' the university of exeter logo is n the bottom right corner.

blurred background of two sea turtle hatchlings around the edges are shapes to depict microplastics. text reads: 'in a huge co' the university of exeter logo is n the bottom right corner.

'five types of plastics were identified: pellets, foam, fragments, sheet and threads' a close-up image of microplastics on a cloth is in a circle in the centre of the page. 'The highest proportion of contamination was found in the mediterranean (80%).'

'five types of plastics were identified: pellets, foam, fragments, sheet and threads' a close-up image of microplastics on a cloth is in a circle in the centre of the page. 'The highest proportion of contamination was found in the mediterranean (80%).'

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New collaborative study finds 45% of sampled marine turtle nesting beaches worldwide are contaminated by microplastics.

Full paper - www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

๐Ÿข๐Ÿฆ‘๐ŸŒ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿงช๐ŸŒŠ
#AcademicSky #SeaTurtles @brendangodley.bsky.social @zarabotterell.bsky.social

24.03.2025 15:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 23 ๐Ÿ” 11 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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New open access paper! Led by Joshua Coste

Results show tropical seabirds meet diurnal constraints by navigating efficiently back to low-lying reef atoll colonies
doi.org/10.1016/j.an...

Great work from Joshua's masters internship with @uniexecec.bsky.social and @iomarinescience.bsky.social

27.02.2025 18:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 23 ๐Ÿ” 12 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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New paper alert! ๐ŸšจPlastic pollution transcends marine protected area boundaries in the eastern tropical and south-eastern Pacific ๐ŸŒŠ

Great team effort from the Pacific Plastics: Science to Solutions Research Programme! ๐Ÿงช๐ŸŒ

doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...

@uniofexeter.bsky.social
@zarabotterell.bsky.social

25.03.2024 14:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Great to be involved in this fantastic collaborative paper investigating the use of loggerhead turtles to monitor #plasticpollution in the Eastern Mediterranean ๐Ÿข ๐ŸŒŠ

Read #openaccess here: doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...

Great to see involvement of many past & present @exetergses.bsky.social MSc students!

26.02.2024 17:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 9 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Protecting sea turtles... at whose cost? Conservation has wide-ranging social impacts - both positive and negative... and we must assess them and share lessons. New paper from Sara Vieira's PhD! link.springer.com/article/10.1... Beautiful summary by Victor Jimรฉnez! @exetermarine.bsky.social

26.02.2024 09:00 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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New #publication led by @caspergeer.bsky.social: sharing insights from >20 years of community-based #SeaTurtle conservation in Kenya by Local Ocean Conservation. 50% increase in clutches per nesting season but human threats remain high & #conservation efforts must continue.

doi.org/10.1017/S003...

16.01.2024 12:07 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 5 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Lead author and tipping points expert prof Tim Lenton has also stressed the role of "positive tipping points", including actions that any one of us can - and should! - take:
www.positive.news/environment/...

07.12.2023 07:16 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Coral reef camera survey

Coral reef camera survey

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First post on here is something different to my usual stormy UK work. Finishing an incredible trip researching the new Cรดte d'Ivoire ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฎ MPA with @kristianmetcalfe.bsky.social and local NGO CEM. Featuring some stunning coral reefs on our cameras ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐Ÿก
@exetermarine.bsky.social @exetergses.bsky.social

04.12.2023 15:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 30 ๐Ÿ” 6 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Conserving and sustainably using our #oceans, seas and marine resources, is essential for ensuring a healthier future for all life on earth.

We offer three programmes allowing you to specialise in a specific area of #marine conservation.

โžก๏ธ www.exeter.ac.uk/study/gses/o...

#ExeterMarine ๐ŸŒ ๐Ÿงช ๐Ÿฆ‘

21.11.2023 12:53 ๐Ÿ‘ 10 ๐Ÿ” 9 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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โœจ New Research! โœจ Efficacy of artificial nest shading as a #climatechange adaptation measure for marine #turtles at Ascension Island from postgraduate researcher Jack Wiggins & team ๐Ÿข

Read #openaccess here: wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

#ExeterCEC #ExeterMarine ๐ŸŒ ๐Ÿงช ๐Ÿฆ‘

17.11.2023 16:12 ๐Ÿ‘ 7 ๐Ÿ” 5 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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As part of the project "Assessment of bycatch impact of sea turtle hatchlings in nestingย sitesย inย Peru", we have placed signs on nesting beaches in Lobitos - Piura, in order to raising people's awareness, prevent the circulation of motorized vehicles and unsupervisedย pets.

10.11.2023 21:02 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Delighted that our Graduate School of Environment and Sustainability is online www.exeter.ac.uk/study/gses/ and on @exetergses.bsky.social
Themes from Critical Minerals to Marine Environment to Sustainable Development and Business ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿงช๐Ÿฆ‘ #ExeterGSES #ExeterESI #ExeterCEC @uniofexeternews.bsky.social

10.11.2023 13:18 ๐Ÿ‘ 24 ๐Ÿ” 17 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 2
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announcing the joining of Hannah @marinehgreen.bsky.social and @exetermarine.bsky.social
Marine forests, Arctic Ocean acidification, multi stressors to marine life. #ExeterMarine

06.11.2023 12:06 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thank you Melanie! ๐Ÿ˜Š

03.11.2023 13:01 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

V striking image depicting country breakdown of marine plastic pollution. It does not, however, encompass info on poverty driving single use plastic, country products are produced or where corporations, or shareholders profiting from cheap packaging are based!! ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿฆ‘๐Ÿงช
From the "plastic pollution" feed.

03.11.2023 10:37 ๐Ÿ‘ 18 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Announcing the joining of Dr @alicetrevail.bsky.social Excellent seabird ecologist, particularly movement ecology, working at #ExeterESI and part of @exetermarine.bsky.social ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿฆ‘๐Ÿงช๐Ÿง

03.11.2023 09:16 ๐Ÿ‘ 44 ๐Ÿ” 9 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Science | AAAS

Published today, a letter from our plastic and biodiversity working group "Plastics Treaty text must center ecosystems" #inc3 #PlasticsTreaty #biodiversity #ExeterCEC @carmenmc.bsky.social @bcarneyalmroth.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

03.11.2023 08:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 9 ๐Ÿ” 5 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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New research from @uniofexeter.bsky.social, SPOT and
ร‡ukurova University โฌ‡๏ธ

Using #bycatch data to assess diversity & distribution of #elasmobranch species caught by commercial #fishing in Cyprus shows importance of coastal waters for ๐Ÿฆˆ species โš ๏ธ

๐Ÿ“ฐ tinyurl.com/2sdzca4x

#ExeterCEC #ExeterMarine ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿฆ‘

31.10.2023 13:46 ๐Ÿ‘ 10 ๐Ÿ” 5 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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FB tells me this was 8 years ago. Our 1st marine turtle plastic pollution paper. @sarahenelms.bsky.social is now a lecturer mentoring 2 of her own PhD students & Emily Duncan is working with NGOs across the world on plastics. Good people do great things! Open Access: academic.oup.com/icesjms/arti...

25.10.2023 09:55 ๐Ÿ‘ 11 ๐Ÿ” 5 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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We want to share one of our latest scientific articles about cephalopods. In this article, we identified and characterized the beaks of 18 species of cephalopods found in the stomach contents of three shark species.

Read here: doi.org/10.21142/SS-...

#ExeterCEC #MarineLife, ๐Ÿฆ‘

25.10.2023 23:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 8 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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New Publication! Led by #PhD researcher Josie Palmer @uniofexeter.bsky.social Multidisciplinary approach to assess fishery operating behaviours and landings inc. 25 species of marine turtles and elasmobranchs ๐Ÿงช๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿฆˆ๐ŸขRead here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

12.10.2023 08:44 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 6 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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New paper on megafauna-purse seine fisheries interactions from the amazing team at @prodelphinus.bsky.social inc. Dr Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto & Dr Jeffrey Mangel, @uniofexeter.bsky.social alumni and visiting researchers! ๐Ÿฆˆ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿฆ‘๐Ÿงช๐ŸŒŽ

โžก๏ธ Read here: doi.org/10.1016/j.fi...

18.10.2023 09:12 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 6 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0