Microplastic pollution harms lobster larvae, study finds
Microplastic fibers in the ocean impact larval lobsters at each stage of
their development

Date:
July 7, 2020
Source:
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Summary:
Microplastic fiber pollution in the ocean impacts larval lobsters at
each stage of their development, according to new research. A study
reports that the fibers affect the animals' feeding and respiration,
and they could even prevent some larvae from reaching adulthood.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Microplastic fiber pollution in the ocean impacts larval lobsters at
each stage of their development, according to new research. A study
published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin reports that the fibers affect
the animals' feeding and respiration, and they could even prevent some
larvae from reaching adulthood.


==========================================================================
"In today's ocean, organisms are exposed to so many environmental factors
that affect how many make it to the next stage of life," said Paty Matrai,
a study author and senior research scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for
Ocean Sciences.

"Lobsters play a fundamental role in the Gulf of Maine ecosystem as
well as the state's economy, and it is important that we understand how pollutants impact their development." Young lobsters grow to adulthood
through four distinct developmental stages, and the researchers found
that the physiology of each stage determined how the animals interacted
with plastic fibers. The youngest lobsters didn't consume them -- but
they were plagued by fibers accumulating under the shells that protect
their gills. In experiments where the larvae were exposed to high levels
of fibers, the youngest larvae were the least likely to survive.

More mobile and agile, the older lobster larvae did not accumulate
fibers under their shells -- but they did ingest the particles and keep
them in their digestive systems. This could be problematic for lobster
larvae coming of age in the ocean. Fresh plastics often leach chemicals,
and their surfaces can foster potentially toxic sea life.

"Plastic particles have been found in almost every animal in the ocean,"
said David Fields, another study author and a senior research scientist at Bigelow Laboratory. "If an animal can fit something in its tiny little
piehole, it's probably going to -- and that can have repercussions
for the animal and potentially for the food web." Microplastic fibers
enter the ocean from sources including wastewater, and they can also be
created in the ocean as larger materials degrade. Plastics tend to float
at the surface, where they are exposed to sunlight and wave action that eventually break them down into small particles.

Though the levels of microplastic fibers in coastal Maine waters
are relatively low, they can still present a serious challenge to the
animals that encounter them. In addition, some animals are predisposed to encounter any fibers that are in the area. Because microplastic fibers
tend to remain at the ocean's surface, animals that inhabit surface
waters are more likely to come into contact with them -- including
larval lobsters.

"Even relatively low levels of plastics can be harmful for the animals
that encounter them, and where an animal lives in the water column
can amplify the problem," Fields said. "A lobster larva that eats
a plastic fiber is just like us eating a candy wrapper -- it's not
great, but it will probably just pass though. But if all you're eating
is candy wrappers, it's certainly going to have other repercussions
for your health." With ocean acidification and rising temperatures
already challenging lobsters and other sea life, the researchers are particularly interested in how this plastic pollution may compound with
the other environmental stressors that ocean animals are facing. They are interested in conducting future experiments that could probe how animals
are impacted when challenged by all three of these factors simultaneously.

Matrai and Fields previously studied the impact of microplastic fibers
on mussels with Madelyn Woods, a recent Bigelow Laboratory intern and the
lead author of this paper. Fellow authors Theresa Hong, Donaven Baughman,
and Grace Andrews also all studied with Matrai and Fields as Research Experience for Undergraduates interns during the summer of 2019.

"As a global community, we are just becoming aware of the impact of
plastics in the ocean, and the reality that this pollution is superimposed
on other changes in the environment," Matrai said. "By working together
to reduce the amount of microplastic fibers in the ocean, we can all
help protect our important marine resources."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
Bigelow_Laboratory_for_Ocean_Sciences. Note: Content may be edited for
style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Madelyn N. Woods, Theresa J. Hong, Donaven Baughman, Grace Andrews,
David
M. Fields, Patricia A. Matrai. Accumulation and effects
of microplastic fibers in American lobster larvae (Homarus
americanus). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2020; 157: 111280 DOI:
10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111280 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200707083958.htm

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