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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Ecological Exposure and Effects of Microplastics in Crabs Along the Pacific Coast
ClearEffects of Environmentally-Relevant Concentrations of Microplastic Fibers on Pacific Mole Crab (Emerita analoga) Mortality and Reproduction
Lab experiments exposed Pacific mole crabs — small filter-feeding crustaceans that live in beach sand — to microplastic fibers at environmentally realistic concentrations and measured effects on mortality, reproductive output, and embryo development. Microfiber exposure significantly reduced reproductive success and caused embryo development abnormalities, suggesting that widespread beach microplastic contamination poses risks to these ecologically important invertebrates.
Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastic fibers on Pacific mole crab (Emerita analoga) mortality and reproduction
Researchers exposed Pacific mole crabs to environmentally relevant concentrations of polypropylene microfibers to assess effects on mortality and reproduction. The study found that microfiber-exposed crabs had increased mortality and decreased retention of egg clutches, leading to variable embryonic development rates. These findings suggest that microplastic contamination in nearshore sandy beach environments could have cascading effects on species that depend on mole crabs as prey.
Microplastics are ubiquitous on California beaches and enter the coastal food web through consumption by Pacific mole crabs
Researchers assessed microplastic prevalence in beach sediments and Pacific mole crabs (Emerita analoga) along over 900 km of the California coast, finding microplastics in sediments at all 51 beaches sampled and in crabs at all 38 beaches where crabs were collected. On average, 35% of crabs had ingested microplastics, demonstrating that microplastics are entering the coastal food web through invertebrate infauna.
Microplastic accumulation via trophic transfer: Can a predatory crab counter the adverse effects of microplastics by body defence?
Trophic transfer and accumulation of microplastics were studied in a predatory crab to examine whether predation from lower trophic levels contributes to microplastic body burden. The study found that the crab accumulated microplastics through both filter feeding from water and consumption of contaminated prey, suggesting that higher trophic predators cannot fully avoid microplastic exposure through dietary selectivity.
Progress on the Effects of Microplastics on Aquatic Crustaceans: A Review
This review examined the effects of microplastics on aquatic crustaceans, finding that microplastics negatively affect life history, behavior, and physiological functions including oxidative stress, immune responses, and reproductive output across multiple species.
Effects of environmental microplastics on Porcellana Platycheles (Decapoda, Anomura, Porcellanidae), a marine filter-feeder crustacean
Researchers exposed the porcelain crab Porcellana platycheles to environmental microplastics and measured effects on feeding behavior, physiological condition, and survival. Microplastic-exposed crabs showed reduced feeding rates and altered body condition indices compared to controls, suggesting sublethal impairment of energy acquisition in crustaceans inhabiting microplastic-contaminated coastal habitats.
Do Waterborne Nanoplastics Affect the Shore Crab Carcinus maenas? A Case Study with Poly(methyl)methacrylate Particles
Researchers exposed shore crabs (Carcinus maenas) to waterborne nanoplastics and assessed multiple physiological endpoints, finding that nanoplastic exposure altered immune function, oxidative stress markers, and gene expression in ways that indicate significant sublethal harm to this ecologically important species.
Microplastics disrupt hermit crab shell selection
Researchers tested whether microplastic exposure impairs shell selection in common European hermit crabs and found that crabs pre-exposed to microplastics were less likely to investigate and enter appropriate shells, suggesting microplastics can disrupt essential survival behaviors.
Microplastic exposure increases predictability of predator avoidance strategies in hermit crabs
Researchers exposed European hermit crabs to microplastics and found the crabs became less cautious and more predictable in their predator-avoidance behavior, reducing their overall variation in response times. This behavioral shift suggests microplastic pollution may make these crabs more vulnerable to predation in the wild.
Macroecotoxicological approaches to emerging patterns of microplastic bioaccumulation in crabs from estuarine and marine environments
Smaller, shorter-lived crabs and those from estuarine intertidal/muddy habitats accumulated significantly more microplastics, with burrowing species holding more particles than omnivorous ones. Crabs at lower latitudes -- likely due to mangrove trapping effects -- and non-human-consumed species showed higher microplastic loads, with colorless PA, PP, and PET fibers (1-5 mm) predominating.
Microplastic pollution in wild populations of decapod crustaceans: A review
Researchers reviewed the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics found in wild populations of decapod crustaceans including crabs and shrimps. They found that fibrous microplastics smaller than 1 mm were the most commonly detected type, and that edible portions generally contained fewer microplastics than non-edible parts. The review highlights the importance of understanding microplastic contamination in commercially valuable crustaceans for both ecological and food safety assessments.
Ingestion and translocation of microplastics in tissues of deposit-feeding crabs (Grapsoidea, Ocypodoidea) in Kochi estuary, Japan
More than half of 116 intertidal crabs collected from a Japanese estuary contained microplastics, with PET fragments dominating and particles concentrated primarily in the gut. Smaller deposit-feeding crab species carried a higher microplastic burden relative to body weight than larger omnivorous species, showing that feeding behavior and body size both shape how much plastic wildlife accumulates in contaminated estuaries.
Pathological and biochemical effects of polyethylene microplastic exposure in hydrothermal vent crab, Xenograpsus testudinatus
Researchers exposed hydrothermal vent crabs, which are adapted to extreme environments, to polyethylene microplastics and found that even these resilient animals suffered significant organ damage and oxidative stress. Higher microplastic concentrations caused severe damage to the liver-like organ and gills, and overwhelmed the crabs' antioxidant defenses. The finding that even organisms built to survive harsh conditions are vulnerable to microplastics underscores how pervasive the threat is to marine life.
Novel microplastic dosing approach of shellfish prey reveals highly efficient egestion rates by predatory crabs under environmentally realistic feeding scenarios
Researchers developed a novel method for dosing shellfish prey with microplastics under environmentally realistic conditions and then fed the contaminated prey to predatory crabs. They found that the crabs egested microplastic fibers with high efficiency, suggesting limited tissue accumulation through trophic transfer under these conditions. The study highlights the importance of using realistic exposure methods when assessing microplastic transfer through marine food webs.
Effects of microplastics on the innate immunity and intestinal microflora of juvenile Eriocheir sinensis
Researchers exposed juvenile Chinese mitten crabs to different concentrations of microplastics for up to 21 days and measured immune responses and gut microbiome changes. They found that microplastic exposure disrupted immune enzyme activities and altered the composition of intestinal bacteria, with effects intensifying at higher concentrations and longer exposure times. The study suggests that microplastic pollution may compromise the immune health and gut ecology of freshwater crustaceans.
Ecological traits influence the bioaccumulation of microplastics in commercially important estuarine crabs from the southeastern Gulf of Mexico
Researchers found that microplastic accumulation in two commercially important estuarine crab species in the Gulf of Mexico varied significantly based on ecological traits such as feeding behavior and habitat use, with gills and digestive tracts showing higher contamination than muscle tissue.
Microplastic accumulation and ecological impacts on benthic invertebrates: Insights from a microcosm experiment
In a month-long experiment, researchers exposed marine invertebrates like mussels and clams to small microplastics and found that the particles accumulated mainly in the gut, gills, and reproductive organs. Different species absorbed different types and sizes of microplastics, and bottom-dwelling organisms suffered energy loss from the exposure. Since many of these species are consumed as seafood, their microplastic accumulation represents a direct pathway for human exposure.
Plastics in scene: A review of the effect of plastics in aquatic crustaceans
Researchers synthesized 10 years of literature on plastic pollution effects across nearly 100 crustacean species, finding that ingestion, bioaccumulation, and trophic transfer are the most studied endpoints, and that crustaceans — spanning marine, freshwater, and estuarine habitats — represent both highly vulnerable organisms and valuable bioindicators for assessing plastic contamination in aquatic food webs.
Slow and steady hurts the crab: Effects of chronic and acute microplastic exposures on a filter feeder crab
Researchers found that chronic low-concentration microplastic exposure over five months caused significant metabolic and nutritional damage to filter-feeding crabs, while acute high-concentration exposure showed no effects, highlighting the importance of long-term exposure studies.
The Ecological Implication of Microplastic in Crabs from a Tropical Lagoon: Ingested Microplastic in Mud Crab Scylla serrata
Researchers examined microplastic ingestion by crabs from a tropical lagoon in West Africa, quantifying particles found in digestive tissues and assessing ecological implications for the local ecosystem. Widespread microplastic ingestion was documented across crab species and size classes.
Impact of Microplastic Exposure on Sand Crab Scopimera globosa Behavior: Implications for Microplastic Transport and Sulfur Cycling through Bioturbation
This study found that microplastic exposure changed the burrowing behavior of sand crabs in estuaries, causing them to dig deeper and avoid contaminated surface sediments. This behavioral shift actually moved microplastics through sediment layers 27 times faster than without the crabs and disrupted important sulfur-cycling bacteria in the soil. The findings show how microplastics can indirectly affect coastal ecosystem processes by altering the behavior of the animals that maintain sediment health.
Can the Atlantic ghost crab be a potential biomonitor of microplastic pollution of sandy beaches sediment?
Researchers tested the Atlantic ghost crab as a biomonitor for beach microplastic pollution, finding that the types of microplastics in crab gut contents closely mirrored those in beach sediment — confirming sediment as the main ingestion source — but that the crab's broad diet made it an unreliable indicator of overall contamination levels across beaches with different urbanization.
Are microplastics impacting shellfish?
Researchers investigated whether microplastic contamination measurably impacts shellfish physiology, growth, reproduction, and health outcomes, assessing the ecological and food safety implications of microplastic exposure in commercially and ecologically important bivalve species.
Animal contests and microplastics: evidence of disrupted behaviour in hermit crabsPagurus bernhardus
Researchers found that microplastic exposure disrupted shell-fighting contests in hermit crabs, impairing defenders' ability to assess opponents and reducing attackers' rapping strength, suggesting broader behavioral impacts on marine animals than previously recognized.