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How Might Plastic Pollution Affect Antarctic Animals?
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This review article for young readers explains how plastic pollution - including nanoplastics far smaller than a grain of sand - is affecting Antarctic marine ecosystems alongside climate change and ocean acidification. Experiments showed krill embryos exposed to nanoplastics and acidified water developed less well than those in normal seawater conditions.
Antarctica is the least populated place on Earth, but the frozen continent and its surrounding Southern Ocean are still affected by human activities. Scientists have found large pieces of plastic such as fishing nets, and microscopic-sized pieces of plastic, too. Some plastics can be hundreds of times smaller than a grain of sand, and these are called nanoplastics. The Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica, is also warming faster than other oceans and is becoming more acidic. Thus, Antarctic marine animals that have lived in an untouched, stable environment for millions of years are now being exposed to plastic pollution and human-caused climate change. We are studying how Antarctic marine life is coping with plastic pollution in this quickly changing ocean. We focus on Antarctic krill, a small crustacean that supports the Antarctic marine food web. Findings show that krill embryos subjected to ocean acidification and nanoplastics develop less than embryos in ordinary seawater conditions.
More Papers Like This
The impact of nanoplastic on embryonic development of Antarctic krill in current and future acidified conditions of the Southern Ocean
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This study examined whether nanoplastics harm the early development of Antarctic krill embryos, particularly under future ocean acidification conditions. Antarctic krill are a critical food source for whales, penguins, and seals, so threats to their development could cascade through the entire Southern Ocean food web.
The Effects of Combined Ocean Acidification and Nanoplastic Exposures on the Embryonic Development of Antarctic Krill
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Researchers studied the combined effects of ocean acidification and nanoplastic exposure on Antarctic krill embryonic development. They found that the interaction between these two stressors produced different outcomes than either stressor alone, with implications for krill survival during early life stages. The study suggests that climate change and plastic pollution may create compounding threats to this ecologically critical Southern Ocean species.
Microplastics in Antarctic krill from the Antarctic Peninsula: distribution, composition, and exposure
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles called microplastics inside Antarctic krill, the small shrimp-like creatures that many ocean animals eat. The plastic pollution was widespread across different areas of Antarctica, with larger krill containing more plastic particles than smaller ones. This matters because krill are a key food source in ocean food chains, meaning these plastics could work their way up to fish and other seafood that humans eventually eat.
Physiological and molecular effects of contaminants of emerging concerns of micro and nano-size in aquatic metazoans: overview and current gaps in Antarctic species
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Researchers reviewed physiological and molecular effects of micro-nanoplastics and engineered nanoparticles on Antarctic aquatic invertebrates, highlighting that filter-feeding species like Antarctic krill can ingest and transform these particles and serve as sentinels for pollution, while calling for standardized early biomarkers to assess ecosystem-level risks in this vulnerable region.
Plastic occurrence, sources, and impacts in Antarctic environment and biota
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Researchers reviewed evidence of plastic pollution in Antarctica, finding microplastics — mostly fibers — in sea ice, ocean water, sediments, and both marine and land animals, raising concern that even the most remote ecosystems on Earth are contaminated and that biodiversity and ecosystem functions may be at risk.
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.