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Marine Bioturbation Drives Global Microplastic Cycling and Biological Exposure Risks
Summary
Researchers built the first comprehensive global database of microplastic contamination in ocean floor environments, covering over 1,600 organism samples across 203 species. They found that filter-feeding species like oysters accumulate significantly more microplastics than mobile foragers, and that bioturbation by bottom-dwelling organisms both buries microplastics deeper into sediments and increases biological exposure. The study reveals that contamination risks vary by region and season, with higher accumulation in high-latitude areas and semienclosed seas.
Marine sediments are the ultimate sink for microplastics that threaten benthic ecosystems. This study establishes the first comprehensive global database of microplastic contamination in benthic environments, comprising 1697 benthic organism samples (203 species) and 3724 sediment samples from marine continental shelves worldwide. Using in situ environmental data, we systematically elucidate the regulatory mechanisms through which benthic bioturbation influences the fate of microplastics. Compared with mobile foragers (e.g., crabs: 4.06 ± 5.80 items/unit), filter-feeding species (e.g., oysters: 7.92 ± 10.54 items/unit) accumulate significantly more microplastics, reflecting functional group differentiation in terms of microplastic-biota interactions. Bioturbation has dual effects: it facilitates the migration of microplastics to deeper sediments for carbon sequestration while increasing organismal exposure. Dissolved oxygen and temperature regulate bioaccumulation by controlling bioturbation intensity, resulting in pronounced spatiotemporal variability. Relatively higher accumulation efficiency occurs in high-latitude regions and semienclosed seas, and areas such as the Asia-Pacific region and the Gulf of Mexico exhibit elevated winter contamination risks. This study provides a global-scale investigation of complex benthic bioturbation transport mechanisms and ecological regulation of microplastic fate, offering critical evidence for predicting contamination risks under climate change and forming adaptive management strategies.