Papers

One hundred priority questions for advancing seagrass conservation in Europe

European researchers identified 100 key questions that need answering to better protect seagrass ecosystems, which are underwater meadows vital for carbon storage, biodiversity, and coastal protection. While not directly about microplastics, seagrass beds act as filters that can trap microplastic pollution and are themselves threatened by it. Protecting these ecosystems could play an important role in reducing microplastic contamination in coastal waters.

Editorial: Understanding the response of ecosystems to increasing human pressures and climate change – management options

This editorial compiles advances in marine ecosystem management under escalating human pressures, covering tools for cumulative impact assessment, invasive species control, jellyfish and algal bloom management, and habitat restoration. Among emerging stressors highlighted are microplastics, noise, and artificial light, all contributing to cumulative ecological damage in coastal and marine environments.

Fast Detection and Classification of Microplastics by a Wide-Field Fourier Transform Raman Microscope

Researchers developed a new wide-field Raman microscope that can rapidly detect and identify microplastic particles with high spatial and chemical accuracy. The instrument can image a large sample area in about 15 minutes and identify particles down to roughly one micrometer in size. The technology was validated on microplastics from seawater and biological samples, offering a faster alternative to existing detection methods.

Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

This study presents a global analysis showing that groundwater is a foundational ecosystem that supports over half of the world's land surface areas, yet it remains largely overlooked in conservation efforts. Researchers argue that groundwater should be recognized as a keystone ecosystem because its health directly influences rivers, wetlands, and other surface habitats. The findings call for including groundwater in global biodiversity protection frameworks before further depletion and pollution cause irreversible damage.

Polystyrene Microplastic Interferes with Yolk Reserve Utilisation in Early Artemia salina Nauplii

Researchers exposed brine shrimp (Artemia salina) nauplii to polystyrene microplastics and found reduced hatching rates, slower growth, and signs of oxidative stress. Histological analysis revealed that the microplastics interfered with yolk reserve utilization, delaying resorption and impairing gut function in the developing larvae. The study suggests that microplastic exposure during early development can disrupt nutrient absorption critical for growth in aquatic organisms.

Phthalate-induced effects in algae and fishes: insights into environmental toxicology

This review of existing research found that phthalates—chemicals commonly found in plastics and personal care products—are harming fish and algae in waterways by disrupting their hormones, reproduction, and basic life processes. Since these chemicals build up in the food chain and we're exposed to them through contaminated water and seafood, this pollution could pose risks to human health too. The findings highlight the need for better regulations to limit phthalate pollution in our environment.

Towards microplastic hotspots detection: A comparative analysis of in-situ sampling and sea surface currents derived by HF radars

Researchers compared in-situ microplastic sampling data with sea surface current measurements from high-frequency radar in the Sicily Channel to develop better methods for detecting plastic pollution hotspots. They found a strong inverse correlation between microplastic fragment occurrence and total kinetic energy, suggesting that areas of low water movement accumulate more debris. The approach could help identify high-accumulation zones, particularly at the centers of eddies, without resource-intensive field sampling.

Big enough for an extra-large meal: a review on predation upon large animals by benthic cnidarians

This paper is not about microplastics. It reviews predatory behavior of benthic cnidarians (sea anemones, corals) that capture and consume large prey, including jellyfish and echinoderms. The study proposes standardized terminology for describing these feeding behaviors. It has no connection to microplastic pollution or human health.

Nano- and microplastics commonly cause adverse impacts on plants at environmentally relevant levels: A systematic review

Nano- and microplastics commonly cause adverse impacts on plants at environmentally relevant levels: A systematic review

Deliverable 3.2. Maps of present ecosystem pressures (fishing, shipping, pollution and other)

Researchers assessed the availability of spatial data on human pressures across the Atlantic Ocean basin — including fishing, shipping, aquaculture, and pollution — identifying major data gaps and recommending AI-based mapping approaches to improve ecosystem-based management of open ocean environments.

Microplastics and invasive crayfish: emerging interactions and ecological implications from three coexisting species in a subalpine lake

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.