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Meteorological and climatic variability influences anthropogenic microparticle content in the stomach of the European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus
Summary
European anchovies in the NW Mediterranean showed microparticle ingestion rates influenced by meteorological and climatic patterns, with fragment abundance linked to low North Atlantic Oscillation index values that transported polluted water from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The findings reveal that climate variability shapes fish exposure to microplastics, complicating predictions of seafood contamination levels and human dietary intake of plastic particles.
Meteorological and climatic phenomena affect oceanographic characteristics and, consequently, anthropogenic microparticle aggregation. The same phenomena influence the ecology of pelagic fish, but whether there is a connection between meteorological and climatic characteristics and microparticle ingestion remains unknown. In the NW Mediterranean during the springs of 2011–2014, the incidence of contaminated European anchovies (35 ± 17%) and microparticle abundance in the stomach content (0.46 ± 0.25 microparticles ind−1) may have owed to higher concentrations of microparticles due to hydrodynamism. Year 2011 showed a higher fragment contribution (60 ± 17%). The statistical analysis indicated a link between fragment abundance and climatic characteristics, with low North Atlantic Oscillation index values for the previous cold season indicating the transport of water from the polluted Tyrrhenian Sea. Low-density microplastic (polyethylene and polypropylene) was found, a selection due to the pelagic behaviour of anchovy. Fibre abundance remained quite constant throughout the 4-year period, pointing to diffused input not dependent on meteorological forcing. In 2012, anchovies were subjected to bottom-up limitation, due to adverse meteorological forcing (high early spring temperatures, low rainfall). The anchovies mainly ingested fibres through less energy-expensive filter-feeding. Therefore, meteorological and climatic forcing regulates microparticle intake by fish and should be considered for pollution mitigation.