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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastic ingestion in marine mesozooplankton species associated with functional feeding traits
ClearMicroplastic burden in marine benthic invertebrates depends on species traits and feeding ecology within biogeographical provinces
Researchers analyzed microplastic levels in the bodies of marine bottom-dwelling invertebrates across different ocean regions and found that the amount of microplastic ingested depended more on the animals' feeding strategies and body traits than on local pollution levels alone. Filter-feeding and deposit-feeding species accumulated the most particles. The study suggests that simply measuring environmental microplastic concentrations may not accurately predict how much wildlife in an area is actually ingesting.
Do different habits affect microplastics contents in organisms? A trait-based analysis on salt marsh species
Scientists measured microplastic occurrence in six benthic invertebrate species from salt marshes in northern Italy and the Netherlands, finding that species feeding habits, body size, and habitat use were better predictors of microplastic contamination than sampling location alone.
Bioavailability and effects of microplastics on marine zooplankton: A review
This review synthesized laboratory and field evidence on microplastic bioavailability and effects on marine zooplankton, finding that multiple taxa readily ingest microplastics with negative impacts on feeding, reproduction, and energy balance, and that zooplankton represent a critical route for transferring microplastics into marine food webs. The authors identify particle size, concentration, and feeding behavior as the main determinants of microplastic bioavailability to zooplankton.
Responses to environmentally relevant microplastics are species-specific with dietary habit as a potential sensitivity indicator
Species-specific responses to environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations were assessed across multiple marine organisms within a functional group study. Results showed that responses differed substantially between species, indicating that single-species tests cannot reliably predict community-level effects of microplastic contamination.
Does microplastic ingestion by zooplankton affect predator-prey interactions? An experimental study on larviphagy
Filter feeders consumed significantly fewer zooplankton prey that had ingested microplastics compared to uncontaminated prey, suggesting that microplastic ingestion makes zooplankton less appealing or nutritious. This effect on predation could have cascading consequences for marine food webs.
Do feeding habits influence anthropogenic particle consumption in demersal fish in a tropical estuary? A study from the northern part of the Tropical Eastern Pacific
This study examined how feeding habits and trophic level influence microplastic ingestion in demersal fish from a tropical Mexican estuary, finding that feeding guild and trophic position both affected the type and quantity of anthropogenic particles consumed.
Ingestion of Microplastics by Zooplankton in the Northeast Pacific Ocean
Researchers collected zooplankton from the northeast Pacific Ocean and found microplastics ingested by multiple species, demonstrating that microplastic uptake occurs throughout the open ocean zooplankton community far from coastlines.
Microplastic loads within riverine fishes and macroinvertebrates are not predictable from ecological or morphological characteristics
Researchers measured microplastic loads in riverine fish and macroinvertebrates and found that particle counts were not reliably predicted by species ecology or morphology, suggesting that individual variation and local environmental factors play a larger role in microplastic ingestion than feeding guild or habitat alone.
Presence of microplastics in benthic and epibenthic organisms: Influence of habitat, feeding mode and trophic level
This study examined microplastic occurrence in benthic and epibenthic invertebrates from the Western English Channel, finding that habitat type, feeding mode, and trophic level all influenced microplastic ingestion rates. The results suggest that bottom-dwelling filter feeders and deposit feeders are among the most exposed organisms in seafloor food webs.
Microplastics in the menu of Mediterranean zooplankton: Insights from the feeding response of the calanoid copepod Centropages typicus
Researchers investigated how the Mediterranean copepod Centropages typicus responds to microplastics, finding that these zooplankton ingest plastic particles whose size overlaps with their natural nano-microplankton prey, potentially threatening marine food web functioning.
Size- and shape-dependent ingestion and acute toxicity of fragmented and spherical microplastics in the absence and presence of prey on two marine zooplankton
Researchers tested how the size and shape of microplastics affect their toxicity to tiny marine animals called zooplankton. Smaller particles were swallowed more often, but irregularly shaped fragments were more toxic than smooth spheres of similar size. When natural food was present, the animals ate fewer microplastics, suggesting that real-world toxicity depends on both particle characteristics and environmental conditions.
Zooplankton responses to environmentally relevant microplastic conditions at low food availability
Researchers exposed marine zooplankton to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics under realistic low-exposure conditions, measuring effects on feeding, reproduction, and survival over multiple generations. Even at low concentrations, chronic microplastic exposure reduced zooplankton fitness.
The Behavior of Planktonic Copepods Minimizes the Entry of Microplastics in Marine Food Webs
Researchers found that planktonic copepods across all major feeding behaviors ingested microplastics at rates up to ten times lower than similar-sized microalgae, suggesting that copepod feeding strategies naturally limit the entry of microplastics into marine food webs.
Feeding type affects microplastic ingestion in a coastal invertebrate community
Researchers exposed a coastal Baltic Sea invertebrate community — including mussels, crustaceans, and deposit feeders — to microplastic beads at three concentrations and found that feeding mode strongly determined ingestion rates, with filter-feeding bivalves accumulating significantly more particles than deposit feeders or free-swimming crustaceans.
Differences in microplastic abundances within demersal communities highlight the importance of an ecosystem-based approach to microplastic monitoring
This study found significant differences in microplastic abundance among different demersal (bottom-dwelling) fish communities, suggesting that habitat, feeding behavior, and species-specific traits influence how much plastic marine fish ingest. The findings underscore the complexity of predicting microplastic exposure across marine food webs.
The feeding mode effect: influence on particle ingestion by four invertebrates from Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters
Researchers assessed microplastic ingestion in four invertebrate species from sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters, including crustaceans and gastropods. They found that benthic grazers ingested significantly more but smaller particles compared to scavengers, with cellulose and rayon fibers making up 60% of ingested particles and true microplastics comprising 30%. The findings suggest that feeding mode strongly influences which marine organisms are most susceptible to microplastic ingestion in polar environments.
Community dynamics and functional traits drive microplastic sequestration by marine nematodes
Researchers used short- and long-term microcosm experiments to show that marine nematode communities sequester microplastics primarily at very high particle densities, with opportunistic non-selective feeders responsible for 90% of short-term uptake, while paradoxically the most severe community disruption occurs at low densities where no particle ingestion is detectable.
Study of feeding biology and diet-associated microplastic contamination in selected creek fishes of northeastern Arabian Sea: A multi-species approach
Researchers studied the feeding biology and diet-associated microplastic contamination of selected fish species, finding that feeding habits directly influence the quantity and type of microplastics ingested. The results demonstrate that trophic position and prey preferences are key predictors of microplastic exposure in wild fish.
Community dynamics and functional traits drive microplastic sequestration by marine nematodes
Researchers used short- and long-term microcosm experiments to show that marine nematode communities sequester microplastics primarily at very high particle densities, with opportunistic non-selective feeders responsible for 90% of short-term uptake, while paradoxically the most severe community disruption occurs at low densities where no particle ingestion is detectable.
Microplastic Ingestion by a Benthic Amphipod in Different Feeding Modes
This study found that a small estuarine crustacean ingests microplastic beads differently depending on how it feeds — filter-feeding individuals ingested particles proportional to water concentrations, while deposit-feeders preferentially ingested larger particles that settled on the bottom. The findings suggest feeding behavior significantly influences how much and what size microplastics organisms accumulate.
Microplastics in invertebrates on soft shores in Hong Kong: Influence of habitat, taxa and feeding mode
Researchers surveyed microplastic occurrence in 38 invertebrate species across 18 mudflats and sandy beaches in Hong Kong, finding that feeding mode and habitat type were stronger predictors of microplastic ingestion than taxonomic group, with suspension feeders in mudflat environments showing the highest contamination. The study provides a broad baseline for microplastic uptake across coastal invertebrate communities.
Is the feeding type related with the content of microplastics in intertidal fish gut?
Researchers compared microplastic ingestion across intertidal fish with different feeding strategies and found that feeding type influenced the amount of plastic found in stomachs. The study suggests that filter feeders and detritivores may ingest more microplastics than active predators, linking ecological role to plastic exposure risk.
Is Zooplankton an Entry Point of Microplastics into the Marine Food Web?
Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion by zooplankton in natural marine environments, examining whether copepods and other zooplankton serve as an entry point for transferring microplastics from the water column into the marine food web.
Bioavailability and ingestion of microplastic by zooplankton in the natural environment
This study reviewed the bioavailability and ingestion of microplastics by marine zooplankton, which are particularly vulnerable because microplastic sizes overlap with their natural prey. Laboratory and field evidence shows zooplankton including copepods readily ingest microplastics, affecting energy budgets and potentially transferring particles up the food chain.