Effect of Microplastics on Aquatic Food Chain and Food Web Altering Phytoplankton Community Structure

In aquatic ecosystems, planktonic organisms play a crucial role in ecosystem services, such as biogeochemicaland nutrient cycling. Microplastics (MPs) influence on plankton may extend through the whole aquatic food chain via., trophic transfers. MPs in the ocean are not only present in the water but are also eaten by planktons and transported to other trophic levels by them. Coastal habitats and littoral zone vegetation are particularly vulnerable to plastic pollution in aquatic systems. The abundance of microplastics in aquatic habitats forces researchers to investigate their effects on ecosystem processes and food webs.