We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastic ingestion by Characidae in rural streams (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined the stomach contents of four Characidae fish species in rural streams in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, finding microplastic particles in the digestive tracts of fish from contaminated sites. The study confirms that microplastics enter freshwater food webs through small native fish in agricultural stream environments.
Microplastics (MP) have several negative effects on biodiversity, from the ecosystem to individual levels, and can be easily consumed by small invertebrates and fish. The increased production of plastic and absence of efficient management systems for these residues facilitate their presence in aquatic environments. In this study, we evaluated the presence of MP in the stomach contents of four species of Characidae in rural streams in the upper portion of the Uruguay River watershed (northern Rio Grande do Sul). Among the total of collected organisms (n=121), the presence of MP was observed in 72% of the analyzed stomach contents. Bryconamericus iheringii had the highest occurrence of MP (85.7%), followed by Astyanax lacustris (69.4%), Astyanax henseli (69.1%) and Oligosarchus breviostris (66.7%). Our results demonstrate the high occurrence of MP in freshwater aquatic environments, especially rural streams. The results observed in this study confirm the importance of conservation of streams, from the maintenance of riparian vegetation as a way to reduce the input of MP in these ecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Food ecology and presence of microplastic in the stomach content of neotropical fish in an urban river of the upper Paraná River Basin
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were found in the stomachs of multiple fish species in an urban Brazilian river, with ingestion rates linked to each species' feeding ecology. The findings confirm that microplastics have entered the freshwater food chain, raising concern about contamination reaching people who eat these fish.
Food ecology and presence of microplastic in the stomach content of neotropical fish in an urban river of the upper Paraná River Basin
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in the stomachs of fish from the upper Parana River basin in Brazil, including in species that primarily feed on plant material, suggesting accidental ingestion is widespread. The study raises concerns about microplastic contamination of urban freshwater food webs.
Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of Amazonian fish species with different feeding habits
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of multiple Amazonian fish species with different feeding habits from Lake Janauacá and the Anavilhanas Archipelago, with feeding strategy influencing ingestion rates—underscoring widespread microplastic contamination even in remote Amazon basin aquatic ecosystems.
Diet composition and plastic ingestion in Poecilia reticulata from urban streams
AI summary Read the abstract
Guppies living in urban streams in Brazil were found to contain microplastics alongside their normal diet of organic matter and insects, with plastic particles ranging from tiny fragments under half a millimeter to pieces over a centimeter long. The presence of plastics across a fish species that sits low on the food chain suggests potential for microplastic transfer up to larger predators and, ultimately, to humans.
Contamination of stream fish by plastic waste in the Brazilian Amazon
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers evaluated plastic contamination in small fish from Amazonian headwater streams in Brazil, finding widespread plastic pollution in these understudied tropical freshwater ecosystems and characterizing the shapes, sizes, and abundance of plastic items ingested.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.