We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastic Ingestion by a Benthic Amphipod in Different Feeding Modes
Summary
This study found that a small estuarine crustacean ingests microplastic beads differently depending on how it feeds — filter-feeding individuals ingested particles proportional to water concentrations, while deposit-feeders preferentially ingested larger particles that settled on the bottom. The findings suggest feeding behavior significantly influences how much and what size microplastics organisms accumulate.
Microplastics adversely affect organisms through physical damage, inhibition of food assimilation, and/or toxicity of chemical leachates. We investigated the influence of feeding mode on microplastic ingestion by using polystyrene microbeads (diameter: 4.1 and 20.6 μm) and the estuarine benthic amphipod Grandidierella japonica, which can switch between filter-feeding and deposit-feeding modes. When provided with sediment, amphipods burrowed and were in the filter-feeding mode; they ingested 4.1 and 20.6 μm beads in the ratio at which the two sizes were suspended in the water. Without sediment, however, the amphipods were mainly in the deposit-feeding mode and ingested more 20.6 μm beads, which tended to be deposited on the bottom, compared with 4.1 μm beads. In addition, the number of microbeads ingested by the amphipods in sediment increased as the amount of food provided (i.e., fish food TetraMin) increased, whereas no such increase was observed for the amphipods without sediment. These results indicate that the microbead ingestion was dependent on feeding mode (i.e., presence/absence of sediment), amount of food, and distribution of microbeads (i.e., sizes of microbeads). To better understand the ingestion, accumulation, and toxicity of microplastics in aquatic environments, we recommend that more attention be paid to behavioral changes in benthic organisms.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Feeding type affects microplastic ingestion in a coastal invertebrate community
Researchers exposed a coastal Baltic Sea invertebrate community — including mussels, crustaceans, and deposit feeders — to microplastic beads at three concentrations and found that feeding mode strongly determined ingestion rates, with filter-feeding bivalves accumulating significantly more particles than deposit feeders or free-swimming crustaceans.
Comparison of the Uptake of Tire Particles via Suspension and Surface Deposit Feeding in the Estuarine Amphipod Corophium volutator
Researchers exposed the estuarine amphipod Corophium volutator to environmentally relevant concentrations of tire particles and measured ingestion through two feeding modes: suspension and surface deposit feeding. Both feeding modes resulted in tire particle uptake, with deposit feeding leading to higher ingestion, suggesting benthic invertebrates are vulnerable to tire-derived microplastic pollution.
Habitual feeding patterns impact polystyrene microplastic abundance and potential toxicity in edible benthic mollusks
This study examined how different feeding strategies in edible mollusks affect how many microplastics they accumulate and how toxic the effects are. Researchers found that deposit-feeding snails and filter-feeding clams accumulated microplastics differently, with distinct impacts on digestive enzymes, oxidative stress, and neurotoxicity markers. The findings suggest that a shellfish species' feeding behavior directly influences the microplastic contamination risk for both the animal and human consumers.
Comparison of theUptake of Tire Particles via Suspensionand Surface Deposit Feeding in the Estuarine Amphipod Corophiumvolutator
Researchers compared tire particle uptake by the estuarine amphipod Corophium volutator through suspension feeding versus surface deposit feeding pathways, finding that exposure route significantly affects ingestion rates, with implications for understanding how aquatic invertebrates accumulate tire-derived microplastic pollution.
Microplastic burden in marine benthic invertebrates depends on species traits and feeding ecology within biogeographical provinces
Researchers analyzed microplastic levels in the bodies of marine bottom-dwelling invertebrates across different ocean regions and found that the amount of microplastic ingested depended more on the animals' feeding strategies and body traits than on local pollution levels alone. Filter-feeding and deposit-feeding species accumulated the most particles. The study suggests that simply measuring environmental microplastic concentrations may not accurately predict how much wildlife in an area is actually ingesting.