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Anti-predatory responses of Mytilus coruscus to the combined effects of ocean acidification and microplastics
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Mussels use sticky protein threads (called byssus) to anchor themselves and defend against predators, but this study found that ocean acidification, driven by rising CO2 levels, weakens this defense system, while microplastic pollution alone doesn't do much damage. The real concern is that when acidification and microplastics combine, they team up to make mussels more vulnerable to predators, which could disrupt coastal food webs and shellfish populations that many communities rely on for food. This matters for human health because it's a warning sign that pollution and climate stressors can interact in unexpected ways, potentially threatening the seafood supply chain we depend
Ocean acidification (OA) and microplastics (MPs) pollution are major abiotic stressors in coastal ecosystems. Byssus is the core structural trait for Mytilus coruscus to defend against predators, and it is vulnerable to environmental stress, which in turn impairs its anti-predator function. However, the anti-predator response characteristics of M. coruscus byssus and the interaction mechanisms among OA, MPs and predation pressure from Charybdis japonica remain unclear under their combined stress. The study conducted acute exposure experiments, measuring five key byssus indicators: secretion frequency, quantity, diameter, volume and tensile strength, to explore the variation characteristics of the byssus-based anti-predator function of M. coruscus under multi-stressor conditions. Results showed that predators served as a key biological signal to trigger the anti-predator responses and significantly promoted byssus secretion; OA had the most prominent inhibitory effect on byssus function; MPs exposure only induced sublethal disturbances with no significant effects on core anti-predator indicators. Furthermore, the combined stress of ocean acidification and microplastics exhibited a synergistic trend, impairing the byssus-centered anti-predatory defense capacity of M. coruscus . This study provides experimental evidence for analyzing the variation patterns of mussel byssus under multiple stressors and suggests that future marine ecological risk assessments should focus on the interactions between biotic and abiotic stressors to more accurately predict the dynamic changes of coastal ecosystems.
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Microplastics can aggravate the impact of ocean acidification on the health of mussels: Insights from physiological performance, immunity and byssus properties
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Researchers found that the combination of ocean acidification and microplastic exposure weakened mussel immune systems, reduced feeding performance, and degraded the quality of byssus threads used for attachment. The study suggests that co-occurring ocean acidification and microplastic pollution could increase the vulnerability of bivalves to disease and dislodgement, threatening their survival in future marine environments.
Ocean acidification and nanoplastics disrupt mussel calcification in synergy: A multi-omics analysis
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Mussels exposed to more acidic seawater (from ocean acidification) and tiny plastic particles struggled to repair their shells properly, growing thinner, weaker shells with less calcium, and the problem got worse when both stressors combined. This matters because mussels and other shellfish are a major food source worldwide, and as oceans absorb more CO2 and plastic pollution while these tiny particles work their way into seafood, this research suggests the combination could hurt the quality and availability of the shellfish we eat.
Synthesized effects of medium-term exposure to seawater acidification and microplastics on the physiology and energy budget of the thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus
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Researchers found that combined exposure to ocean acidification and microplastics significantly reduced the feeding rate, food absorption, and energy budget of the thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus, with acidification amplifying the negative effects of microplastics.
Microplastics impair digestive performance but show little effects on antioxidant activity in mussels under low pH conditions
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Researchers exposed thick shell mussels to polystyrene microplastics under both normal and acidified ocean conditions. They found that microplastics had little effect on antioxidant defenses but significantly impaired digestive enzyme activity, with ocean acidification worsening the impact. The study suggests that the combined stress of microplastics and lower pH may pose particular risks to the digestive function of marine shellfish.
The multiple responses of Mytilus galloprovincialis in the multi-stressor scenario: Impacts of low pH, low dissolved oxygen, and microplastics
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Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to the combined stressors of low pH, low dissolved oxygen, and microplastics for 15 days. While whole-organism functions like respiration were unaffected, the study found significant cellular-level impacts, suggesting that microplastics interact with ocean acidification and deoxygenation to cause subtle but measurable stress in marine invertebrates.
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