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Relating Microplastic Contamination to Trophic Ecology of the Highly Invasive Red Swamp Crayfish and Eastern Mosquitofish
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This study investigated the phytotoxic effects of PET concrete leachate on plants, testing whether chemicals released from PET plastic incorporated into concrete formulations inhibit seed germination or plant growth. The findings raise considerations about the safety of using plastic waste in construction materials near vegetated areas.
ABSTRACT The red swamp crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii ) and the eastern mosquitofish ( Gambusia holbrooki ), native to North America, are highly invasive in temperate aquatic environments worldwide, where they often coexist in a variety of habitats. We used stable isotopes of carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) to examine the trophic ecology of Procambarus clarkii and Gambusia holbrooki co‐existing in the same coastal wetland in Italy and explore potential relationships with microplastic (MP) ingestion. Gambusia consistently occupied a higher trophic position than Procambarus , and ingested more MPs per individual. There was strong spatial variation in the degree of niche overlap (0%–70%) between habitats. MPs were found in all individuals of alien species with mean concentrations (±SD) of 5.1 ± 3.2 (items/ind) in Procambarus and 5.8 ± 3.30 (items/ind) in Gambusia . MPs were also found in their potential prey (macroinvertebrates), with concentrations ranging from 0.35 ± 0.2 to 69.8 ± 87.8 items/ind., depending on the taxon. Similar polymer colours (mainly blue) and shape (mainly fibres) were found across all samples. Invertebrates were the primary diet items for both species, with little contribution from detritus and plants. The importance of specific invertebrate prey taxa varied between alien species, as did the percentage of MPs potentially ingested from their prey. We found little evidence of biomagnification, since MP concentration was not correlated with trophic levels, but was higher in Gambusia . The use of stable isotopes, combined with the examination of MPs, provides valuable insights into the role of feeding ecology in MP contamination. Given that Procambarus and Gambusia are also key prey for many terrestrial and aquatic predators, they may act as vectors, facilitating the transfer of MPs across ecosystem boundaries. Further research is needed to better understand the long‐term ecological impacts of microplastic contamination across various trophic levels, and to assess the potential risks to higher predators.
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Researchers investigated whether the invasive red swamp crayfish could serve as a bioindicator species for tracking microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems. They found the same types of microplastics in the crayfish digestive tracts as in surrounding water and sediment samples from Lake Candia in Italy. The study suggests that monitoring microplastics in crayfish could be a practical way to assess plastic contamination levels in lakes and rivers.
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Stable isotope analysis was used to explore the relationship between trophic position and microplastic ingestion in freshwater macroinvertebrates and fish. The study found that trophic niche influenced microplastic accumulation patterns, with particles ranging from 700 micrometers to 5 mm quantified across taxa in the freshwater food web.
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Researchers compared microplastic uptake in three coexisting invasive crayfish species from Lake Maggiore, Italy, finding no significant interspecific differences but observing that Faxonius limosus showed the highest average MP concentration, with most MPs being polyester or polyacrylate fibers under 1 mm suggesting domestic sources. The study provides the first evidence of MP uptake in F. limosus and suggests invasive crayfish may serve as agents of MP removal and bioindicators for environmental monitoring.
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