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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Suitability of Free-Living Marine Nematodes as Bioindicators: Status and Future Considerations
ClearEmerging Marine Nematodes as Model Organisms: Which Species for Which Question?
This review evaluates the potential of marine nematodes as model organisms for studying biological questions related to ecosystem functioning, climate change, ecotoxicology, and biotechnology. Researchers identified several promising species with manageable life cycles and available genomic resources that could be used in laboratory settings. The study highlights their value for investigating environmental stress responses, including exposure to pollutants like microplastics in marine habitats.
Microplastics in Global Marine Waters and Biota: Effectiveness of Potential Bioindicators in Mirroring Local Pollution Levels
This review assessed the global occurrence of microplastics in marine waters and biota and evaluated the effectiveness of potential bioindicator species for monitoring plastic pollution. The authors find that standardizing bioindicator protocols is essential for tracking the effectiveness of microplastic mitigation efforts.
Abundance of microplastic in different coastal areas using Phragmatopoma caudata (Kroyer in Morch, 1863) (Polychaeta: Sabelariidae) as an indicator
Researchers used reef-building worms (Phragmatopoma caudata) as biological indicators to compare microplastic contamination across different coastal areas in Brazil. By analyzing the worms' tube structures and surrounding sediment, they found varying levels of microplastics that reflected local pollution sources. The study suggests these filter-feeding organisms can serve as practical tools for monitoring microplastic pollution along coastlines.
From the Seafloor to the Surface: a Global Review of Gastropods as Bioindicators of Marine Microplastics
This global review examined evidence of microplastic ingestion by marine gastropods (sea snails) and evaluated their potential as bioindicator species for ocean microplastic pollution. Gastropods from the seafloor to the surface were found to contain microplastics, with bottom-dwelling species accumulating the highest amounts. The authors argue that gastropods are a practical and widespread tool for monitoring microplastic contamination across marine environments.
Indicator Function of Ragworm (Nereididae) on Sediment Microplastic in Haizhou Bay Intertidal Zone
This study used ragworms collected from intertidal sediments in Haizhou Bay, China, as biological indicators of microplastic contamination in the surrounding sediment. The worm data closely reflected sediment microplastic levels, suggesting ragworms can serve as useful bioindicators for monitoring coastal pollution.
Impact of treated sewage on meiobenthic nematodes: a case study from the Tunisian Refining Industries Company
This study assessed how treated sewage discharge from an industrial refinery in Tunisia affected the diversity and health of small benthic worms (nematodes) in a coastal bay. Nematode communities are sensitive biological indicators of water quality, and their disruption can signal pollution that may include microplastics from industrial effluents.
Bioindicators selection in the strategies for monitoring microplastic pollution
Researchers reviewed strategies for selecting the best 'sentinel' species — from mussels to earthworms — to serve as biological indicators of microplastic and nanoplastic pollution in both aquatic and land environments. Choosing the right species based on behavior, habitat, and exposure pathways is essential for building consistent, comparable monitoring programs that can track plastic pollution over time.
Soil and Sediment Organisms as Bioindicators of Pollution
This review examines how soil organisms like earthworms, insects, and microbes can serve as living indicators of pollution, including contamination from microplastics and heavy metals. Changes in these organisms' behavior, reproduction, or survival can reveal pollution levels that chemical tests alone might miss. The approach is relevant to microplastic research because it provides practical tools for assessing how microplastic contamination in soil affects the ecosystems that support agriculture and food production.
Promising indicators for monitoring microplastic pollution
This review evaluated promising biological and ecological indicators for monitoring microplastic pollution, arguing that standardized indicator species and metrics are needed to better track microplastic abundance, distribution, and accumulation in ecosystems.
The soil nematode exposome: Unraveling the impacts of particulate plastics from agroecosystems to one health
Researchers propose using soil nematodes — tiny worms that are sensitive indicators of soil health — as biological sentinels for microplastic pollution, arguing that their conserved molecular pathways and ecological roles make them ideal for an integrated risk framework that connects plastic contamination in soil to broader human health outcomes.
Bioindicators of the impacts by microplastics in soil: A Systematic Review : a systematic review
This systematic review identifies organisms that can serve as bioindicators — living warning signs — for microplastic contamination in soil. Certain earthworms, springtails, and other soil creatures show measurable changes when exposed to microplastics, making them useful tools for monitoring pollution levels. Using these natural indicators could help farmers and environmental managers detect microplastic problems before they worsen.
Current Progress on Marine Microplastics Pollution Research: A Review on Pollution Occurrence, Detection, and Environmental Effects
This review summarized current knowledge on marine microplastic pollution, covering detection methods, occurrence across ocean zones and organism types, and environmental effects, while identifying key research gaps around long-term ecological impacts and standardized monitoring protocols.
Taxonomic Composition Change after Environmental Levels Addition of Polyethylene Microplastic (PE-MPs) to Mediterranean Sediment: Case Study of Bizerte Lagoon Nematodes Communities
Researchers investigated how environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics affect nematode community composition in Mediterranean lagoon sediments, documenting taxonomic shifts in these microscopic worms that serve as indicators of sediment health.
The use of Hediste diversicolor in the study of emerging contaminants
Researchers reviewed how a common estuary worm called Hediste diversicolor responds to three types of pollutants — pharmaceuticals, metal nanoparticles, and microplastics — finding that even very low concentrations disrupt the worm's behavior and nerve function, making it a valuable indicator species for monitoring pollution in coastal ecosystems.
Macroinvertebrates as biomonitors of pollutants on natural sandy beaches: Overview and meta-analysis
Donacidae and Talitridae macroinvertebrates reliably reflected trace element concentrations from beach sediments in their tissues, validating their use as biomonitors, though fewer than 2 studies evaluated their response to microplastics, hydrocarbons, or persistent organic pollutants.
Aquatic worms: relevant model organisms to investigate pollution of microplastics throughout the freshwater-marine continuum
This review examined the use of aquatic worms (oligochaetes and polychaetes) as model organisms for studying the environmental fate and biological impacts of micro- and nanoplastics throughout their life cycles in freshwater and marine environments.
Using mussel as a global bioindicator of coastal microplastic pollution
This review evaluates whether mussels can serve as reliable global indicators of coastal microplastic pollution. Researchers found that mussels are well suited for this role due to their wide geographic distribution, filter-feeding behavior, and demonstrated ability to accumulate microplastics from surrounding waters. The study identifies remaining challenges in standardizing monitoring methods but concludes that mussels offer a practical and ecologically relevant tool for tracking marine microplastic contamination.
Biological indicators to check water quality in plastic-heavy water bodies
This review examines the use of biological indicators for monitoring water quality in environments heavily contaminated with plastics and heavy metals, summarizing recent advances in bioindicator approaches for tracking pollution trends and environmental health effects in plastic-polluted water bodies.
Impact of nanoparticles on human health and disease
This review assessed whether marine snails (gastropods) can serve as reliable indicator species for microplastic pollution in the ocean, examining global literature across five gastropod subclasses. On average, about 33 plastic pieces were found per individual gastropod, with bottom-dwelling species accumulating the most. The findings suggest that gastropods are useful bioindicators for monitoring microplastic contamination in marine environments from the seafloor to the surface.
Progress in selecting marine bioindicators for nanoplastics ecological risk assessment
Researchers reviewed the state of knowledge on nanoplastics — plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer — in marine environments, identifying major gaps in our ability to measure them and assess their ecological risks. The review calls for more realistic exposure studies using diverse polymer types and chronic low-dose conditions, and outlines which marine species could serve as best indicators for nanoplastic monitoring.
Quantification of microplastics along the Caribbean Coastline of Colombia: Pollution profile and biological effects on Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers quantified microplastics at four beach locations along Colombia's Caribbean coast and tested their biological effects on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, finding significant contamination at all sites and measurable toxic effects on worm survival, reproduction, and behavior.
Ostracoda and Foraminifera as bioindicators of (aquatic) pollution in the protected area of uMlalazi estuary, South Africa
Researchers used tiny shell-bearing organisms (ostracods and foraminifera) as biological indicators to assess water quality in a protected South African estuary. Despite its protected status, the estuary showed signs of pollution based on the species diversity and health of these indicator organisms. While not focused on microplastics specifically, these biological monitoring methods could be adapted to assess the ecological impact of microplastic pollution in coastal and estuarine environments.
Barnacles as silent sentinels of microplastic pollution: Evidence from Gujarat coast, India and a global meta-analysis of sessile marine species
This study found microplastics in all eight barnacle species sampled across 13 coastal sites in Gujarat, India, with fibers and fragments of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene predominating. A global meta-analysis confirmed that sessile marine organisms like barnacles serve as reliable bioindicators of local microplastic contamination levels.
The role of invasive alien species as bioindicators for environmental pollution
This review explores an unconventional approach to pollution monitoring: using invasive alien species as biological indicators of environmental contamination, including microplastics. Researchers found that species like invasive bivalves, crustaceans, and fish accumulate contaminants in measurable ways and are already abundant in degraded habitats. The approach offers a practical monitoring tool that avoids additional stress on native or protected species.