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Microplastic prevalence in two fish species in two U.S. reservoirs
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Researchers examined microplastic prevalence in gizzard shad and largemouth bass from two agricultural reservoirs in the midwestern United States, finding microplastics in both species and both locations, with concentrations influenced by shoreline development. The study contributes freshwater baseline data to a field that has focused predominantly on marine systems.
Abstract Microplastics in the environment can impact feeding and physiological functions of organisms. Most studies have focused on marine systems, and studies of lacustrine organisms are less common. We examined microplastic concentration in 72 gizzard shad and 24 largemouth bass from two agricultural reservoirs in the midwestern U.S.A. with differing shoreline development. Microplastics were found in 100% of the fish, with 1–49 No. Fish −1 , independent of shoreline development. Bass had higher concentrations overall than shad. For bass, microplastics were more concentrated in the guts rather than gills, but the opposite was the case for shad, suggesting that feeding guild may influence where microplastics accumulate in fishes. The prevalence and concentrations reported here are greater than reported in marine systems and higher than reported in riverine studies. Our results underscore the ubiquitous distribution of microplastics and suggest that lake ecosystems in agricultural landscapes may be particularly susceptible to microplastic contamination.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.