We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Feeding Ecology and Microplastic Contamination of Planktophagous Fishes in a tropical Southwestern Atlantic Estuarine Ecosystem
Summary
Feeding ecology and microplastic contamination of two planktophagous fish species (A. clupeoides and C. edentulus) were studied in a tropical Brazilian estuary, finding both species ingested microplastics—with contamination rates varying by season, body size, and estuarine position, reflecting their copepod-dominated diets.
This study describes the spatial and temporal distribution of density and biomass, feeding ecology and contamination by microplastics (MPs) in A. clupeoides and C. edentulus in the Goiana Estuary. A. clupeoides were found in all portions of the estuary, mainly in the late rainy and late dry seasons. C. edentulus was found in the upper and lower portions of the estuary mainly in the late dry season. A. clupeoides' adult specimens fed mainly on copepods in the lower estuary during the beginning of the rainy season when they were contaminated by black MPs. A. flexuosa larvae were consumed by subadults in the lower portion during the final rainy season and by juveniles in the lower portion during the end of the dry season when they were contaminated by the same type and color of MPs. The species C. edentulus both adults and subadults feed on Coscinodiscus sp. and Actinopthycus sp. in the lower portion during the final rainy season. At this time, adults were contaminated by blue MPs. MPs' samples were analyzed by FTIR, were composed of polyethylene..
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Widespread microplastic ingestion by fish assemblages in tropical estuaries subjected to anthropogenic pressures
A survey of 2,233 fish from 69 species across two tropical Brazilian estuaries found microplastics in 9% of individuals, with ingestion rates linked to feeding guild, habitat use, and proximity to urban areas. The study demonstrates that microplastic ingestion is widespread even in tropical systems and is shaped by ecology rather than occurring at random.
Does the trophic guild influence microplastic ingestion in nursery areas? A case study on a southwestern Atlantic mangrove-dominated estuary
Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in ten fish species from a mangrove-dominated estuary in Brazil's Tropical Atlantic, finding plastics in 61% of 145 specimens. Zooplanktivorous species ingested the most (averaging 2.33 MPs per individual), with polystyrene and polypropylene dominating.
Do feeding habits influence anthropogenic particle consumption in demersal fish in a tropical estuary? A study from the northern part of the Tropical Eastern Pacific
This study examined how feeding habits and trophic level influence microplastic ingestion in demersal fish from a tropical Mexican estuary, finding that feeding guild and trophic position both affected the type and quantity of anthropogenic particles consumed.
Distribution patterns of microplastics within the plankton of a tropical estuary
Microplastics were found throughout a tropical Brazilian estuary across different seasons and zones, with densities roughly half those of fish larvae and comparable to fish egg densities. The results raise the possibility that microplastics compete with or are mistaken for natural food items by larval fish in this ecologically critical nursery habitat.
Changes in the food selectivity of zooplanktivorous fishes related to the effects of nutrient enrichment in an urban tropical estuary
Researchers studied juvenile fish diets in an urban tropical estuary and found that nutrient enrichment from eutrophication shifted prey availability and fish feeding strategies, while all fish species examined contained microplastic particles and showed selective ingestion of them alongside their natural zooplankton prey.