Marine litter is a growing concern for marine animals, including cetaceans for which there is a developing body of evidence showing impacts of both entanglement and ingestion. Better understanding is needed of the current and predicted scales of impacts on cetacean species of both macro- and micro-litter. Some emerging methodological approaches, such as the “threefold approach,” will help address data gaps. The relationship between this form of pollution and some cetaceans is strong and the particular feeding habits, and widespread distribution of two whale species means that they can be proposed as ocean health indicators for macro- and micro-litter impacts at global scales, helping steer research. The species concerned are sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), for macro-litter at depth, and fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), for micro-debris. Once appropriate techniques have been fully developed for non-lethal assessment, other whale species might also be used as indicators of litter pollution in their specific feeding zones.

中文翻译：

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鲸类作为全球范围内海洋垃圾影响的海洋健康指标

海洋垃圾越来越受到海洋动物的关注，包括鲸类动物，有越来越多的证据表明纠缠和摄入都会产生影响。需要更好地了解当前和预测的大型和微型垃圾对鲸类物种的影响规模。一些新兴的方法论方法，例如“三重方法”，将有助于解决数据差距。这种形式的污染与某些鲸类动物之间的关系很密切，而且两种鲸鱼物种的特殊饮食习惯和广泛分布意味着它们可以被提议作为全球范围内宏观和微观垃圾影响的海洋健康指标，有助于指导研究. 相关物种是抹香鲸 (Physeter macrocephalus)，用于捕食大型垃圾，而长须鲸 (Balaenoptera physalus) 用于捕食微小垃圾。