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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to The effect of planktivorous fish on the vertical flux of polystyrene microplastics
ClearThe role of mesopelagic fishes as microplastics vectors across the deep-sea layers from the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic
Mesopelagic fish from the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic were examined as vectors of microplastics between surface waters and deep-sea layers, with plastics found in their digestive tracts and their vertical migration behavior identified as a transport mechanism. The study suggests that diel migrating fish can actively carry microplastics from surface feeding zones to deeper waters during downward migration.
Microplastic interactions with North Atlantic mesopelagic fish
Researchers examined mesopelagic fish from the North Atlantic and found microplastics in a significant proportion of individuals, with plastic loads reflecting the fish's diel vertical migration behavior. Because mesopelagic fish migrate daily between deep and surface waters, they may serve as a biological pump transporting microplastics from surface accumulation zones to depth.
Uptake routes of microplastics in fishes: practical and theoretical approaches to test existing theories
This experimental study tested multiple proposed mechanisms by which fish ingest microplastics — including prey confusion, accidental ingestion, and trophic transfer — using controlled laboratory conditions, finding that feeding behavior type and prey size relative to particle size are key determining factors.
The effect of planktivorous fish (juvenile Perca fluviatilis) on the taxonomic diversity of microplastic particles-colonized bacterial community
Researchers tested whether the presence of perch (a common freshwater fish) affects the bacterial communities colonizing microplastic particles in water. Fish exudates — waste products released into the water — significantly increased the abundance and diversity of bacteria growing on both polyethylene and polystyrene surfaces, which could eventually accelerate microbial degradation of the plastics. This has implications for understanding the long-term fate of microplastics in natural lake and river environments where fish and plastic debris coexist.
Effects of microplastics on the feeding rates of larvae of a coastal fish: direct consumption, trophic transfer, and effects on growth and survival
Researchers tested whether microplastics in seawater affect the feeding rates, growth, and survival of California Grunion fish larvae. They found that microplastics reduced feeding rates and demonstrated that trophic transfer of microplastics from zooplankton to larval fish occurs readily. The study suggests that microplastic pollution may impair early fish development by interfering with feeding behavior and introducing contaminants through the food chain.
Vertical transport of marine microplastics mediated by filter-feeding organisms
Researchers used sediment traps to quantify how filter-feeding organisms — including sea squirts, Pacific oysters, scallops, and Manila clams — contribute to vertical microplastic transport in the water column, finding that MP-laden faeces and pseudofaeces from these organisms act as a biologically mediated pathway for sinking surface MP to the seafloor.
Modeling the effect of fish migration on the horizontal distribution of microplastics in freshwater and ecological risks in the food web: Influence of habitat
A modeling study of a Chinese lake found that fish migration actively redistributes microplastics across water environments, with fish congregating in preferred habitats bringing higher concentrations of particles through ingestion and excretion. This suggests that biological factors — not just water currents and wind — need to be accounted for when predicting where microplastics accumulate and where food-web contamination risks are greatest.
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.
Does the trophic guild influence microplastic ingestion in nursery areas? A case study on a southwestern Atlantic mangrove-dominated estuary
Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in ten fish species from a mangrove-dominated estuary in Brazil's Tropical Atlantic, finding plastics in 61% of 145 specimens. Zooplanktivorous species ingested the most (averaging 2.33 MPs per individual), with polystyrene and polypropylene dominating.
Effects of biological filtration by ascidians on microplastic composition in the water column
The ascidian Styela plicata efficiently filtered 2–5 µm microplastics from the water column, preferentially removing polystyrene over biodegradable PLA particles; the resulting fecal pellets altered the sinking rate of MPs, affecting their vertical transport through the marine food web.
Predator traits influence uptake and trophic transfer of nanoplastics in aquatic systems–a mechanistic study
Researchers investigated how predator feeding behaviors — such as filter feeding versus active hunting — influence how much nanoplastics (plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer) are taken up and passed up the food chain in aquatic ecosystems. Understanding these pathways matters because nanoplastics consumed by small aquatic animals can accumulate in larger predators, including fish eaten by humans.
Species-specific effect of microplastics on fish embryos and observation of toxicity kinetics in larvae
Researchers compared microplastic ingestion across three commercial fish species with different feeding types (carnivores, omnivores, filter feeders), finding that carnivores ingested the least microplastic while omnivores were less able to eliminate them than filter feeders.
Suspended sediments mediate microplastic sedimentation in unidirectional flows
Researchers found that suspended sediments in water significantly increase microplastic sedimentation rates, with higher sediment concentrations driving greater downward transport of microplastics and creating differential settling patterns based on polymer type.
Plastic intake does not depend on fish eating habits: Identification of microplastics in the stomach contents of fish on an urban beach in Brazil
Researchers analyzed microplastic content in the stomachs of seven fish species from an urban beach in Brazil and found that trophic guild (carnivore, omnivore, herbivore) did not predict microplastic ingestion rates, suggesting that incidental ingestion during feeding is widespread regardless of diet type.
Scavenging of polystyrene microplastics by sediment particles in both turbulent and calm aquatic environments
Researchers found that sediment particles can scavenge polystyrene microplastics from the water column, with calm aquatic environments showing the greatest removal (42%) while turbulence reduced settling, suggesting different microplastic fate in varying hydrodynamic conditions.
Effect of alternative natural diet on microplastic ingestion, functional responses and trophic transfer in a tri-trophic coastal pelagic food web
Researchers studied how microplastics move through a three-level marine food chain, from zooplankton prey to planktivorous fish, and how the availability of natural food affects microplastic ingestion. When natural food was scarce, organisms consumed more microplastics, and the particles transferred efficiently up the food chain. This study demonstrates that microplastics in the ocean can accumulate through the food web and reach fish species that humans commonly eat.
Microplastics do not affect the feeding rates of a marine predator
Researchers exposed a marine predatory fish to microplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations and measured feeding rate, finding no significant effect on prey capture behavior, suggesting that concerns about microplastics disrupting predator feeding may not apply at current environmental concentrations.
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.
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.
Occurrence and characterization of microplastic content in the digestive system of riverine fishes
Researchers found microplastics in 93.8% of riverine fish examined, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon being the most common polymer types concentrated near urban and industrial areas, and small particles (0.025-1 mm) predominating across species.
Swimming behavior affects ingestion of microplastics by fish
This study found that swimming behavior in juvenile cichlid fish influenced how many microplastics they ingested, helping explain the high individual variation in microplastic burden observed within the same species in the wild. The results suggest behavioral differences contribute to differential exposure risk.
Morphology of the filtration apparatus of three planktivorous fishes and relation with ingested anthropogenic particles
Researchers examined the filtration apparatus of three planktivorous fish species and compared their feeding morphology to the types of microplastics they ingested, finding that gill structure influenced which particle sizes were retained.
Capture, swallowing, and egestion of microplastics by a planktivorous juvenile fish
Slow-motion video analysis of a planktivorous fish revealed that it engulfed microplastics using the same feeding mechanism as natural prey, and that particles could be expelled through the gills or swallowed. The study provides mechanistic insight into how fish ingest microplastics and helps explain why particles resembling zooplankton in size and appearance are most commonly found in fish guts.
Feeding behavior and species interactions increase the bioavailability of microplastics to benthic food webs
Researchers used a controlled food web experiment to study how feeding behavior and species interactions affect microplastic movement through benthic ecosystems. They found that biological activities like bioturbation and predation significantly increased the availability and redistribution of microplastics in sediments compared to physical processes alone. The study demonstrates that living organisms play a major role in determining where microplastics end up in aquatic environments, which has important implications for pollution monitoring.