We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Effects of Microfibers on Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Attachment Behavior
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined whether microplastic fibers affected the attachment behavior of zebra mussels, an important invasive freshwater species that lives by anchoring to hard surfaces. Changes in attachment behavior could have ecological consequences for how these mussels colonize and structure freshwater habitats.
Microplastics and fibers are an ever-growing ecological concern which result from both the breakdown of plastic pollutants and from human activities. Little is known of the behavioral effects which these pollutants have on affected organisms. Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are an ecologically important invasive species of filter feeders found in local freshwater systems which could help illustrate the ecological effects of microfiber pollution. Zebra mussels were collected from Stone Lake and Flint Lake and were exposed to treatments of blue polyester fleece fibers and polypropylene fibers from a rope to study the effects these typical pollutants have on attachment behavior of zebra mussels to substrates. Both types of pollutants were shown to have significant impacts on the amount of force required to remove a mussel from its substrate. This preliminary study indicates that attachment strength is a useful and measurable tool for studying behavioral effects of microfiber pollutants and opens up possibilities for further research and understanding of the larger ecological effects and implications of plastic pollutants.
More Papers Like This
The effect of polypropylene on the formation of byssal threads produced by Dreissena polymorpha (zebra mussels)
AI summary Read the abstract
Lab experiments exposed zebra mussels (an invasive freshwater species) to polypropylene microplastics and found that the plastic significantly impaired their ability to produce byssal threads — the fibers they use to anchor themselves to surfaces. This functional impairment could affect the mussel's ability to survive in flowing water environments.
Size Selection by Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymoropha) Exposed to Microplastic Fibers
AI summary Read the abstract
Two experiments with zebra mussels exposed to polyester fibers of varying lengths showed that the smallest fibers (0.25 mm) accumulated disproportionately in mussel tissue, and larger mussels accumulated more fibers overall. Because bivalves are widely consumed by humans and serve as keystone filter feeders in aquatic ecosystems, their preferential uptake of the smallest microplastic fibers has direct implications for food chain transfer and human dietary exposure to microplastics.
The Use of Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) as a Sentinel Species for the Microplastic Pollution of Freshwater: The Case of Beyhan Dam Lake, Turkey
AI summary Read the abstract
This study detected microplastics in zebra mussels from Beyhan Dam Lake in Turkey, finding an average of several particles per individual with fibers predominating, providing the first evidence of microplastic pollution in this freshwater bivalve species from Turkish inland waters.
Microplastics in Invasive Freshwater Mussels (Dreissena sp.): Spatiotemporal Variation and Occurrence With Chemical Contaminants
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured microplastic ingestion by invasive zebra and quagga mussels (Dreissena spp.) across Great Lakes sites and time points, finding widespread MP uptake that varied by season and location and noting a weak but positive association between microplastic and chemical contaminant co-occurrence.
Accumulation of microplastics in Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha, Pallas, 1771) in the sand pit lake Kazichene, Bulgaria
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated microplastic accumulation in zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) from the sand pit lake Kazichene in Bulgaria, evaluating the species as a bioindicator of freshwater microplastic pollution. The study found microplastic particles in mussel tissues and discusses the utility of using this invasive species — rather than native bivalves — as a monitoring organism to protect local biodiversity while tracking contamination levels.
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.