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Entangled stressors: a review on the interactions between microplastics and climate change in aquatic ecosystems
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This review pulls together existing research showing that climate change is making microplastic pollution in lakes, rivers, and oceans worse—warmer water speeds up the release of harmful chemicals from plastics and makes fish and other wildlife more likely to accidentally eat them. Since these microplastics and their chemicals can move up the food chain into the seafood we eat, this double threat matters for human health too, though scientists say more research is needed to understand the long-term risks and find solutions.
Microplastics (MPs) have become a cause for concern in aquatic ecosystems due to their potential to cause toxicity, which can be enhanced when co-occurring with other stressors. The contribution of climate change to MP toxicity mechanisms has been shown to be diverse, with more questions still remaining unanswered. Climate change influences the hydrologic dynamics of the aquatic environment through floods, which result in an increased abundance of MPs, whereas increased temperature in the aquatic ecosystem accelerates the leaching of additives from both macro and MPs. Moreover, increased metabolism as a result of increased temperature may also accelerate the uptake of MPs as they mistake them for food. While the combined effects of thermal stress and MP exposure pose serious threats to aquatic life, some organisms may exhibit resilience under certain conditions or adaptive mechanisms that could mitigate the impacts of MPs and associated contaminants. More studies are recommended to understand the long-term implications of these stressors in aquatic ecosystems and the potential for recovery after system restoration. Climate change and MP pollution are global phenomena; therefore, addressing their threats to aquatic ecosystems requires global collaborative efforts with regard to policy direction and the involvement of citizen science to integrate end-users in solution seeking. This review consolidates existing information on MP pollution and the role of climate change on the dynamics, fate, and toxicity effects of microplastics. Moreover, the review identifies some research gaps on the mechanisms driving their interactions, effect pathways in aquatic ecosystems, and the possible policy direction to enhance strategies to address this global threat.
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Climate change and microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems: ecological and societal consequences
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This review examines how climate change amplifies the ecological and societal impacts of microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems. The study suggests that rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and altered precipitation patterns accelerate plastic fragmentation and dispersal, creating compounding effects on water quality, biodiversity, and coastal communities.
Meta-analysis reveals temperature increase exacerbates microplastic toxicity in freshwater invertebrates
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This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies to show that rising temperatures make microplastics more toxic to freshwater invertebrates. The combined stress of warming water and plastic pollution caused greater harm to growth, reproduction, and survival than either stressor alone, suggesting that climate change will worsen the ecological and health impacts of microplastic contamination.
Bridging the gap: a review on the interaction between (micro)plastics and climate change
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This review examined the two-way relationship between climate change and microplastic pollution. Researchers found that climate-driven changes like rising temperatures, altered weather patterns, and ocean acidification can accelerate microplastic breakdown and redistribute particles across ecosystems, while plastic production and degradation processes themselves contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, creating a reinforcing cycle.
Climate change and microplastics: a two-way interaction
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This review characterises the bidirectional relationship between microplastics and climate change: plastics production and degradation generate greenhouse gases, while rising temperatures and changing precipitation alter MP distribution and toxicity in ecosystems. It calls for integrated strategies that address both plastic pollution and climate change.
Microplastics and chemical contamination in aquaculture ecosystems: The role of climate change and implications for food safety—a review
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics and toxic chemicals contaminate aquaculture ecosystems — the fish farms that feed hundreds of millions of people — and found that the growing threat of climate change is making contamination worse by altering how pollutants move and accumulate in aquatic food. The review calls for better quantification of aquaculture's role in both generating and absorbing plastic pollution to protect global food safety.
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