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Modelling microplastic bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential in the Galápagos penguin ecosystem using Ecopath and Ecosim (EwE) with Ecotracer
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Researchers used ecosystem modeling to trace how microplastics move through the food web of the Galapagos penguin, from small prey organisms up to the penguins themselves. The model predicted that microplastics accumulate and magnify as they move up the food chain, with top predators like penguins carrying the highest concentrations. The study offers a non-invasive way to assess microplastic risks to endangered species without the need for lethal sampling.
Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of anthropogenic particles are crucial factors in assessing microplastic impacts to marine ecosystems. Microplastic pollution poses a significant threat to iconic and often endangered species but examining their tissues and gut contents for contaminant analysis via lethal sampling is challenging due to ethical concerns and animal care restrictions. Incorporating empirical data from prey items and fecal matter into models can help trace microplastic movement through food webs. In this study, the Galápagos penguin food web served as an indicator species to assess microplastic bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential using trophodynamic Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) modelling with Ecotracer. Empirical data collected from surface seawater near Galápagos penguin colonies, zooplankton, penguin prey, and penguin scat in October 2021 were used to inform the ecosystem model. Multiple scenarios, including a 99% elimination rate, were employed to assess model sensitivity. Model predictions revealed that microplastics can bioaccumulate in all predator-prey relationships, but biomagnification is highly dependent on the elimination rate. It establishes the need for more research into elimination rates of different plastics, which is a critical missing gap in current microplastic ecotoxicological and bioaccumulation science. Compared to empirical data, modelling efforts underpredicted microplastic concentrations in zooplankton and over-predicted concentrations in fish. Ultimately, the ecosystem modelling provides novel insights into potential microplastics' bioaccumulation and biomagnification risks. These findings can support regional marine plastic pollution management efforts to conserve native and endemic species of the Galápagos Islands and the Galápagos Marine Reserve.
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Researchers assessed microplastic contamination around the Galapagos Islands, using the endangered Galapagos penguin as an indicator species. They found microplastics and cellulose particles in seawater, zooplankton, and fish that penguins eat, confirming that contamination has reached this remote ecosystem's food web. The study raises concerns about the cumulative effects of microplastic exposure on already vulnerable species in one of the world's most important marine biodiversity hotspots.
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Researchers developed an integrated high-resolution numerical model to simulate how microplastics are taken up and exchanged among organisms in marine ecosystems. The model couples physical ocean circulation with biological uptake, egestion, and transfer through the food web. Such models help predict how microplastics from different sources distribute throughout marine food chains and ultimately reach fish and other seafood consumed by humans.
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A bioaccumulation model for microplastics in humpback whale and resident killer whale foodwebs of the Northeastern Pacific predicted low to moderate MP bioaccumulation factors across trophic levels, suggesting that while MPs transfer through food webs, they do not strongly biomagnify in these cetacean systems.
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Researchers investigated plastic contamination across the marine food web of the Galapagos Islands and conducted a risk assessment to identify the most vulnerable species. They found plastic contamination in seawater, beach sediments, and marine organisms, with risk scores varying substantially by species feeding ecology and habitat. The study provides a framework for prioritizing conservation responses in a globally significant marine biodiversity hotspot.
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Using a 20-year computer simulation of a marine food web in coastal China, researchers found that microplastics accumulate and magnify as they move up the food chain, with top predators concentrating the most particles. The study showed no evidence of biodilution, meaning microplastics do not become less concentrated at higher levels of the food chain. This is significant for human health because people who eat seafood, especially predatory fish, may be exposed to higher concentrations of microplastics than previously estimated.
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