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Multigenerational effects of elevated temperature on host-microbiota interactions in the marine water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis exposed to micro- and nanoplastics
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Researchers studied the combined effects of ocean warming and micro- and nanoplastic exposure on the marine water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis across multiple generations. They found that the combination of these stressors caused reproductive failure by the second generation and significantly altered the animals' gut microbiota, with increases in predatory bacteria. The study reveals how environmental stressors can interact to produce compounding multigenerational harm in marine organisms.
Rising ocean temperatures are driving unprecedented changes in global marine ecosystems. Meanwhile, there is growing concern about microplastic and nanoplastic (MNP) contamination, which can endanger marine organisms. Increasing ocean warming (OW) and plastic pollution inevitably cause marine organisms to interact with MNPs, but relevant studies remain sparse. Here, we investigated the interplay between ocean warming and MNP in the marine water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis. We found that combined exposure to MNPs and OW induced reproductive failure in the F2 generation. In particular, the combined effects of OW and MNPs on the F2 generation were associated with key genes related to reproduction and stress response. Moreover, populations of predatory bacteria were significantly larger under OW and MNP conditions during F2 generations, suggesting a potential link between altered microbiota and host fitness. These results were supported by a host transcriptome and microbiota interaction analysis. This research sheds light on the complex interplay between environmental stressors, their multigenerational effects on marine organisms, and the function of the microbiome.
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