In a new study, published in Science, researchers from Uppsala University found that Eurasian perch larval exposed to microplastic particles were less active, less responsive to predator cues, more likely to be eaten, and less likely to thrive. They also found that the larvae preferring to eat plastic, rather than their natural food source.
“For me, the key finding and biggest surprise in this study was the fact that larvae preferentially ate microplastic particles and literally stuffed themselves with the microbeads,” ignoring their natural food source of zooplankton, said marine biologist Oona Lönnstedt of Uppsala University in Sweden.
This comes at an alarming time when microplastic are becoming more prevalent in marine ecosystems.The microplastic particle levels tested in the current study are similar to what is found in many coastal habitats in Sweden and elsewhere in the world today’ says marine biologist, Oona Lönnstedt, lead author of the article.
Researchers were able to collect perch eggs from the Baltic Sea and exposed them to varying levels of polystyrene microplastics. These microscopic waste particles reach oceans via waterways and lakes and accumulate in high concentrations in shallow coastal areas.
Microplastic particles (defined as plastic particles <5mm in size) start out a larger plastic waste products that fragment into smaller pieces, or from manufactured plastics of microscopic size (e.g., microbeads in personal care products).
For the first time, scientists have now been able to show that development of fish is threatened by microplastic pollution. ‘This is the first time an animal has been found to preferentially feed on plastic particles and is cause for concern’, says Professor Peter Eklöv, co-author of the study.
‘Larvae exposed to microplastic particles during development also displayed changed behaviors and were much less active than fish that had been reared in water that contained no microplastic particles. Furthermore, fish exposed to microplastic particles ignored the smell of predators which usually evoke innate antipredator behaviors in naïve fish’, says Oona Lönnstedt.
The findings highlight ecologically important and previously underappreciated effects of microplastic particles that enter marine ecosystems, and emphasizes the need for new management strategies or alternative biodegradable products that lowers the release of microplastic waste products.
The study, published in Friday’s edition of the scientific journal Science, should be seen as a pointer about what may be underway in many oceans around the world. However, more comprehensive studies are required before any far-reaching conclusions can be drawn.
