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From prey to predator: an in-situ observation of microplastic trophic transfer from Mytilus edulis to Asterias rubens
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Researchers conducted an in-situ experiment at the White Sea to track how polyethylene microplastics transfer through the food chain from filter-feeding mussels to predatory starfish. They confirmed that starfish ingested microplastics not only from the water but also through consuming contaminated mussels, establishing a trophic transfer coefficient of 0.36. The findings provide direct evidence of microplastic movement between trophic levels in marine invertebrates.
Microplastics are pervasive in marine environments, posing potential risks to aquatic life and human health. This study investigates the trophic transfer of microplastics in marine invertebrates, focusing on the predator Asterias rubens and the filter-feeder Mytilus edulis. Conducted at the White Sea Biological Station, the experiment used polyethylene microspheres (40-48 μm) to trace microplastic ingestion and translocation within these species. Findings demonstrated that microplastics were not only ingested from water but were also transferred through predation from mussels to starfish, providing evidence of trophic transfer among some invertebrate species. Microplastics were detected in both control and experimental groups; however, ingestion rates were markedly higher in experimental conditions. The study introduces a trophic transfer coefficient of 0.36 from mussels to starfish, highlighting the need for further studies to refine microplastic analysis methods in marine settings and explore the ecological impacts on marine species.
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Trophic transference of microplastics under a low exposure scenario: Insights on the likelihood of particle cascading along marine food-webs
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Researchers tested whether microplastics could transfer from prey to predators under a realistic low-exposure scenario, using mussels as prey and crabs and puffer fish as predators. They found that microplastics present only in mussel hemolymph did transfer to predators upon consumption, but the particles did not persist in predator tissues after 10 days. The findings suggest that under low-exposure conditions, trophic transfer of microplastics may occur but without significant long-term accumulation in predator species.
Exploring transfer of microplastics in the trophic chain: a prey-predator interaction case in the Strait of Messina
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This study examined how microplastics transfer through marine food webs via predator-prey interactions, tracking the movement of particles across trophic levels. Results confirmed that microplastics can be transferred from prey to predator and accumulate at higher trophic levels, posing risks to top predators and fisheries.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.