Title |
Environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastic particles influence larval fish ecology
|
---|---|
Published in |
Science, June 2016
|
DOI | 10.1126/science.aad8828 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Oona M. Lönnstedt, Peter Eklöv |
Abstract |
The widespread occurrence and accumulation of plastic waste in the environment have become a growing global concern over the past decade. Although some marine organisms have been shown to ingest plastic, few studies have investigated the ecological effects of plastic waste on animals. Here we show that exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastic polystyrene particles (90 micrometers) inhibits hatching, decreases growth rates, and alters feeding preferences and innate behaviors of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) larvae. Furthermore, individuals exposed to microplastics do not respond to olfactory threat cues, which greatly increases predator-induced mortality rates. Our results demonstrate that microplastic particles operate both chemically and physically on larval fish performance and development. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 64 | 17% |
United Kingdom | 39 | 10% |
Sweden | 20 | 5% |
Australia | 19 | 5% |
Canada | 14 | 4% |
Spain | 8 | 2% |
Japan | 7 | 2% |
France | 6 | 2% |
Italy | 6 | 2% |
Other | 65 | 17% |
Unknown | 134 | 35% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 249 | 65% |
Scientists | 119 | 31% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 12 | 3% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 2 | <1% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 7 | <1% |
Brazil | 2 | <1% |
Japan | 2 | <1% |
Sweden | 2 | <1% |
Denmark | 2 | <1% |
Norway | 1 | <1% |
Hong Kong | 1 | <1% |
Belgium | 1 | <1% |
Netherlands | 1 | <1% |
Other | 5 | <1% |
Unknown | 714 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Bachelor | 127 | 17% |
Student > Master | 117 | 16% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 112 | 15% |
Researcher | 110 | 15% |
Other | 30 | 4% |
Other | 118 | 16% |
Unknown | 124 | 17% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Environmental Science | 211 | 29% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 189 | 26% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 35 | 5% |
Chemistry | 30 | 4% |
Earth and Planetary Sciences | 29 | 4% |
Other | 72 | 10% |
Unknown | 172 | 23% |