We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Warming-induced microplastic accumulation and physiological toxicity in fiddler crabs
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied the combined effects of microplastic exposure and rising water temperatures on fiddler crabs. They found that microplastics accumulated most heavily in the gills, and that warmer temperatures altered how the crabs responded to the plastic particles, increasing oxygen consumption and affecting antioxidant defenses. The study highlights how climate change and plastic pollution together may create compounding stress for coastal marine organisms.
Under natural conditions, organisms are exposed to multiple stressors simultaneously, such as microplastic (MP) contamination and rising global temperatures. To assess the combined effects of acute MP exposure and increasing temperatures on the fiddler crab Minuca rapax, we exposed the crabs to polyethylene microspheres (0 and 2 mg L-1, size 53-63 μm) at three different temperatures (24, 27, and 30 °C). Physiological responses were assessed by measuring oxygen consumption and evaluating the biochemical activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) alongside lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the gills and hepatopancreas. MP bioaccumulation was quantified in the gills, digestive tract, and muscles. Our findings revealed that MP bioaccumulation was highest in the gills, followed by the digestive tract and muscles. Notably, elevated temperatures (30 °C) suppressed MP accumulation. At 30 °C, MP-exposed crabs showed increased oxygen consumption, while at 27 °C, SOD and GPx activities were elevated. In contrast, in MP-exposed crabs, catalase activity and LPO levels decreased at 30 °C. Overall, the combined effects of MP exposure and temperature-induced stress exacerbated physiological toxicity in Minuca rapax, underscoring the importance of considering multiple environmental stressors when evaluating the impacts of MP contamination.
More Papers Like This
The effects of microplastic ingestion and environmental warming on camouflage and growth in common shore crabs
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that shore crabs exposed to both microplastics and warming water showed impaired camouflage ability and reduced growth compared to crabs exposed to either stressor alone. The combined effects of microplastic pollution and climate change may be more harmful to marine life than either threat in isolation.
Interactive effects between water temperature, microparticle compositions, and fiber types on the marine keystone species Americamysis bahia
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists studied how rising water temperatures interact with different types of microparticles and fibers to affect mysid shrimp, a key species in marine food webs. Researchers found that the combination of warmer water and microplastic exposure produced more severe effects than either stressor alone. The study suggests that climate change could amplify the harmful impact of microplastic pollution on important marine organisms.
Physiological and behavioural responses of aquatic organisms to microplastics and experimental warming
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested how microplastic exposure combined with different water temperatures affected the breathing, feeding, and movement of two common freshwater invertebrates. They found that while temperature had strong effects on all measured behaviors, microplastics caused additional changes in feeding rates and movement patterns that varied between species. The study highlights that the biological effects of microplastics may be amplified or altered under warming climate conditions.
Combined effects of global warming and microplastic exposure from individual to populational levels of a benthic copepod
AI summary Read the abstract
This study assessed the combined effects of global warming and microplastic exposure on freshwater and marine organisms across individual and population levels, examining how climate and plastic pollution interact as co-occurring stressors. Results showed that warming conditions modified microplastic toxicity in ways that suggest climate change will alter the ecological risk of plastic pollution in aquatic systems.
Synergistic effects of microplastic and lead trigger physiological and biochemical impairment in a mangrove crab
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed mangrove fiddler crabs to microplastics and lead, both alone and in combination, to assess their joint toxic effects. They found that co-exposure synergistically increased lead bioaccumulation, oxygen consumption, and lipid peroxidation while suppressing antioxidant enzyme activity. The study suggests that microplastics can amplify the physiological harm of heavy metal contamination in sensitive mangrove ecosystems.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.