Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

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.

2024 SHAREOK (University of Oklahoma; Oklahoma State University; Central Oklahoma University)
Article Tier 2

The impact of polystyrene microplastics on feeding, function and fecundity in the marine copepod Calanus helgolandicus.

Marine copepods (Calanus helgolandicus) exposed to 20 µm polystyrene beads at 75 particles/mL ingested 11% fewer algal cells and 40% less carbon biomass, and shifted toward smaller prey. Fecundity was also reduced, suggesting microplastic ingestion could impair energy transfer through this critical trophic link.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Polystyrene Microplastics on Feeding, Function and Fecundity in the Marine Copepod Calanus helgolandicus

Researchers exposed a key marine copepod species to polystyrene microplastics and measured the effects on feeding, egg production, and offspring survival. They found that microplastic ingestion significantly reduced the amount of algae the copepods consumed, lowered their reproductive output, and decreased the hatching success of their eggs. Since copepods are a foundational link in marine food webs, these effects could have cascading consequences for ocean ecosystems.

2015 Environmental Science & Technology 1246 citations
Review Tier 2

Review: Effects of microplastic on zooplankton survival and sublethal responses

This review synthesised 88 published studies to examine the effects of microplastics on zooplankton survival and sublethal responses including growth, development, feeding rate, reproduction, organ damage, and gene expression. Daphnids and copepods were identified as the most sensitive groups, with feeding rate and fecundity significantly decreased at environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations.

2020 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating Microplastic Ingestion by Zooplankton

This thesis investigated microplastic ingestion by four species of marine zooplankton, finding that the copepod Centropages typicus ingested nylon powder, polyethylene microbeads, and synthetic rope fibers. Exposure to microplastics caused an energy deficit in most species by displacing nutritious food, potentially reducing the energy available for zooplankton growth and reproduction with knock-on effects up the food chain.

2014 Open Research Exeter (University of Exeter) 4 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Marine Ecology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Residence Time in Marine Copepods: An Experimental Study

Laboratory experiments measured how long microplastics remain in marine copepods after ingestion, finding that residence times vary by particle type and size, with some particles persisting longer than others and informing estimates of microplastic transfer through marine food webs.

2023 Sustainability 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of polystyrene microplastics on major marine primary (phytoplankton) and secondary producers (copepod)

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics reduced the growth of marine microalgae and negatively impacted copepod survival, demonstrating harmful effects on both primary and secondary producers at the base of the marine food web.

2021 Archives of Microbiology 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of polystyrene microplastics on Daphnia magna mortality and reproduction in relation to food availability

Researchers exposed the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna to polystyrene microplastics under varying food availability conditions and found that microplastic impacts on mortality and reproduction were most severe when food was limited. The study suggests that the ecological effects of microplastics on zooplankton are strongly influenced by nutritional status, with food-stressed organisms being more vulnerable to particle ingestion.

2018 PeerJ 160 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on marine copepods

This review examines how microplastics affect marine copepods, the tiny crustaceans that form a critical link in ocean food chains. Researchers found that copepods readily ingest microplastics, which can block their digestive tracts, reduce feeding, trigger immune responses, deplete energy reserves, and impair reproduction. The effects depend on the size, shape, and chemical properties of the plastic particles, and microplastics can also carry other toxic pollutants that amplify the harm.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Consumption Of Microplastics Impacts The Growth And Fecal Properties Of The Marine Copepod, Acartia Tonsa

Lab experiments found that marine copepods (Acartia tonsa) fed polystyrene microplastic beads showed reduced growth and produced smaller, less carbon-rich fecal pellets compared to controls. This is significant because copepod fecal pellets are an important mechanism for transporting carbon from the ocean surface to the deep sea, suggesting microplastics could disrupt marine carbon cycling.

2020 ScholarWorks -A service of University of Vermont Libraries (University of Vermont)
Article Tier 2

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.

2019 Environmental Pollution 67 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Open MIND
Review Tier 2

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.

2018 Environmental Pollution 900 citations
Article Tier 2

Feasting on microplastics: ingestion by and effects on marine organisms

This review synthesizes experimental studies on microplastic ingestion and effects across a wide range of marine organisms, finding evidence of physical harm, reproductive effects, and reduced feeding in multiple taxa. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the biological consequences of microplastic ingestion and identifies key knowledge gaps for future research.

2018 Aquatic Biology 236 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of nanoplastics in the marine organism Tisbe battagliai

This study examined the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on the marine copepod Tisbe battagliai, assessing impacts on survival and reproduction. Marine copepods are a foundational food web species, and understanding how nanoplastics affect them has implications for ocean ecosystem health.

2019 Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion induces energy loss on the copepod Tigriopus koreanus

This study found that tiny copepods (small marine crustaceans near the base of the food chain) lose significant energy when they ingest microplastics instead of real food. The microplastics provided no nutrition but took energy to process, reducing the animals' ability to grow and reproduce. Since copepods are a critical food source for fish, this energy loss could ripple up the food chain and ultimately affect seafood quality and availability for humans.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of environmentally relevant concentrations of potentially toxic microplastic on coastal copepods

This study tested the effects of tire wear particles (TWP), a type of toxic microplastic, on two coastal copepod species at environmentally realistic concentrations, finding reduced feeding and reproduction rates even at low doses. Tire wear particles are abundant in coastal waters and may be suppressing populations of these zooplankton, which are foundational to marine food webs.

2020 Aquatic Toxicology 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics exposure on copepod (Eurytemora affinis) and mussel (Mytilus edulis) gut microbiota

Researchers studied how microplastic exposure affects the copepod Eurytemora affinis and the mussel Mytilus edulis, examining effects on feeding, reproduction, and overall health at relevant environmental concentrations. Results showed microplastics impaired physiological functions in both species, with additional risks from microorganism-colonized plastic surfaces.

2024 Open MIND
Article Tier 2

Microplastics reduce net population growth and fecal pellet sinking rates for the marine copepod, Acartia tonsa

Researchers studied the effects of polystyrene microplastic ingestion on the marine copepod Acartia tonsa across its life stages. They found that microplastic exposure reduced net population growth, impaired fecundity and egg quality, and decreased fecal pellet sinking rates, suggesting that microplastics could disrupt both zooplankton populations and the carbon settling process in marine ecosystems.

2021 Environmental Pollution 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Low microalgae availability increases the ingestion rates and potential effects of microplastics on marine copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei

Researchers examined how food availability affects microplastic ingestion in the marine copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei, finding that low microalgae concentrations increased ingestion of all three microplastic sizes tested (0.5, 2, and 10 micrometers). The results suggest that food-limited copepods are at greater risk of microplastic uptake.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 50 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion in marine mesozooplankton species associated with functional feeding traits

This study examined microplastic ingestion in marine mesozooplankton species with different functional traits, finding that feeding mode, body size, and habitat use are key predictors of plastic uptake across zooplankton communities.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 7 citations