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It's tough for life on a plastic planet
Summary
A summary of research showing that Pacific oysters exposed to polystyrene microspheres suffered disrupted digestion and reduced reproductive success, with some negative effects passing to the next generation. The findings suggest microplastics can harm shellfish reproduction, with potential implications for both marine ecosystems and seafood industries.
Ecology![Figure][1] Microplastics threaten Pacific oysters PHOTO:© ARTERRA PICTURE LIBRARY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO We dump an estimated 4 to 12 million tons of plastic waste into the oceans every year. This plastic breaks down into tiny pieces called microplastic particles, which can be ingested by marine life, causing unknown effects. To assess the impact of microplastic particles, Sussarellu et al. exposed Pacific oysters to polystyrene microspheres. The oysters efficiently ingested the microspheres but to ill effect. The microspheres interfered with their digestion and affected fecundity, lowering egg and sperms counts. Some negative effects also carried over to the next generation. Overall, their findings suggest that microplastic particles affected the oysters' ability to acquire and allocate energetic resources. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 10.1073/pnas.1519019113 (2016). [1]: pending:yes