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Foraminifera and plastic pollution: Knowledge gaps and research opportunities

Environmental Pollution 2023 13 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 40 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Masashi Tsuchiya Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Masashi Tsuchiya Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Vincent M. P. Bouchet, Masashi Tsuchiya Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Hidetaka Nomaki, Hidetaka Nomaki, Masashi Tsuchiya Masashi Tsuchiya Masashi Tsuchiya Vincent M. P. Bouchet, Akira Tsujimoto, Masashi Tsuchiya Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Hidetaka Nomaki, Hidetaka Nomaki, Masashi Tsuchiya Masashi Tsuchiya Vincent M. P. Bouchet, Akira Tsujimoto, Masashi Tsuchiya Vincent M. P. Bouchet, Masashi Tsuchiya Masashi Tsuchiya Laurent Seuront, Masashi Tsuchiya Laurent Seuront, Julien Richirt, Laurent Seuront, Hidetaka Nomaki, Hidetaka Nomaki, Fabrizio Frontalini, Fabrizio Frontalini, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Hidetaka Nomaki, Hidetaka Nomaki, Vincent M. P. Bouchet, Masashi Tsuchiya Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Misako Matsuba, Vincent M. P. Bouchet, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Laurent Seuront, Hidetaka Nomaki, Masashi Tsuchiya Misako Matsuba, Laurent Seuront, Hidetaka Nomaki, Masashi Tsuchiya Fabrizio Frontalini, Masashi Tsuchiya

Summary

This review identifies critical knowledge gaps in understanding how plastic pollution affects foraminifera — single-celled marine organisms that are important indicators of ocean health and contributors to marine sediment records. The authors outline research priorities for investigating plastic uptake, toxicity, and potential effects on foraminiferal ecology and the fossil record.

Plastic has become one of the most ubiquitous and environmentally threatening sources of pollution in the Anthropocene. Beyond the conspicuous visual impact and physical damages, plastics both carry and release a cocktail of harmful chemicals, such as monomers, additives and persistent organic pollutants. Here we show through a review of the scientific literature dealing with both plastic pollution and benthic foraminifera (Rhizaria), that despite their critical roles in the structure and function of benthic ecosystems, only 0.4% of studies have investigated the effects of micro- and nano-plastics on this group. Consequently, we urge to consider benthic foraminifera in plastic pollution studies via a tentative roadmap that includes (i) the use of their biological, physiological and behavioral responses that may unveil the effects of microplastics and nanoplastics and (ii) the evaluation of the indicative value of foraminiferal species to serve as proxies for the degree of pollution. This appears particularly timely in the context of the development of management strategies to restore coastal ecosystems.

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