Abstract
AbstractMicroplastics are ubiquitous in marine systems; however, knowledge of the effects of these particles on marine fauna is limited. Ocean‐borne plastic debris accumulates in littoral ecosystems worldwide, and invertebrate infauna inhabiting these systems can ingest small plastic particles and fibers, mistaking them for food. We examined the effect of microplastic fibers on physiological and reproductive outcomes in a nearshore organism by exposing Pacific mole crabs (Emerita analoga) to environmentally relevant concentrations of microsized polypropylene rope fibers. We compared adult gravid female crab mortality, reproductive success, and embryonic developmental rates between microfiber‐exposed and control crabs. Pacific mole crabs exposed to polypropylene rope had increased adult crab mortality, and decreased retention of egg clutches, causing variability in embryonic development rates. These effects of microplastic ingestion on a nearshore prey species have implications for predators such as surf perf and shore birds, as plastic use, and resultant microplastic presence in nearshore environments increases. Microplastics are ubiquitous in marine and sandy beach environments, posing a significant threat to the marine organisms that reside therein. The most predominant classification of microplastics found have been microfibers. Although a number of biological effects of microplastics have been measured, with documented effects on growth, little research has examined how microplastic fibers affect reproductive output and subsequent development of offspring. We examined the effects of exposure to microfibers on adult mortality, reproductive output, and embryonic development of the filter feeding Pacific mole crab (E. analoga), a dominant infaunal organism on sandy beaches. We demonstrate the effects of microplastic ingestion on mole crab mortality and embryonic development, filling a gap in the current knowledge on the impact of microplastics.
Highlights
We demonstrate the effects of microplastic ingestion on mole crab mortality and embryonic development, filling a gap in the current knowledge on the impact of microplastics
We examined whether exposure to PP microfibers (1) increases adult mole crab mortality, (2) inhibits mole crab embryonic development, and (3) reduces adult reproductive success
Microplastic density in beach sediments and seawater Sediment samples from all sites contained microplastic fibers and particles, with 1–45 microfibers and 0–9 particles per 100 mL of sand sampled (Fig. 2.) The 1 L water samples collected at South Beach contained 3–7 microfibers and no particles were identified
Summary
Microplastic concentration in beach sediments Marine sediments are likely a sink for microplastics (Cózar et al 2014; Eriksen et al 2014; Woodall et al 2014), and as filter (Whatman 1820-047 Glass Microfiber Binder Free Filter, 1.6 Micron, 4.3 s/100 mL Flow Rate, Grade GF/A, 47 mm Diameter) to capture anything separated from the sand. Nile Red, a lipid-soluble fluorescent dye that stains hydrophobic materials, can improve the accuracy of microplastic quantification (Shim et al 2016; Maes et al 2017). PP, PE, PS, the most commonly identified microplastics on beaches and in surface water (Hidalgo-Ruz et al 2012), are effectively stained with Nile Red (Shim et al 2016). One milliliter of solution was applied to each glass fiber filter, covered with the lid of the petri dish, and allowed to dry for 2 h. Filters were viewed under illumination by a 455 nm LED light source (Arrowhead Forensics Part No: A-6994FK) and fluorescing microplastic particles and fibers were enumerated using a 10X Leica dissecting microscope with Leica camera connected to a computer running Leica Application Suite X Imaging Software
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