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Nanoplastics rewire freshwater food webs

Ekvall, Mikael T. LU ; Stábile, Franca LU orcid and Hansson, Lars Anders LU orcid (2024) In Communications Earth and Environment 5.
Abstract

The accelerating use of plastics worldwide is of societal concern, especially as plastics fragment into smaller, micro- and nano-sized particles. Of particular importance is the effects on aquatic ecosystems since a major part of the nanoplastics eventually reach natural water systems. We identify, using replicated experimental wetlands, a tipping point where nanoplastics become detrimental to the key planktonic grazer, Daphnia. Moreover, the phytoplankton diatoms were also strongly affected by nanoplastics, whereas we detected no effects on the less efficient herbivore copepods, cyanobacteria, benthic bacterial decomposition or any bottom dwelling organisms. That some organisms and ecosystem functions, but not others, are strongly... (More)

The accelerating use of plastics worldwide is of societal concern, especially as plastics fragment into smaller, micro- and nano-sized particles. Of particular importance is the effects on aquatic ecosystems since a major part of the nanoplastics eventually reach natural water systems. We identify, using replicated experimental wetlands, a tipping point where nanoplastics become detrimental to the key planktonic grazer, Daphnia. Moreover, the phytoplankton diatoms were also strongly affected by nanoplastics, whereas we detected no effects on the less efficient herbivore copepods, cyanobacteria, benthic bacterial decomposition or any bottom dwelling organisms. That some organisms and ecosystem functions, but not others, are strongly affected by nanoplastic particles predicts considerable alterations in aquatic food webs and a rewiring of feeding links. In a broader context, our study provides crucial data on the effects of nanoplastics in freshwater ecosystems, constituting urgently needed understanding for risk assessment, legislation, and management of plastic material.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Communications Earth and Environment
volume
5
article number
486
publisher
Springer Nature
external identifiers
  • scopus:85203257689
ISSN
2662-4435
DOI
10.1038/s43247-024-01646-7
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.
id
3143361b-ae79-45d4-a4b8-acc7efb6de1b
date added to LUP
2024-09-16 12:09:24
date last changed
2024-09-26 12:45:13
@article{3143361b-ae79-45d4-a4b8-acc7efb6de1b,
  abstract     = {{<p>The accelerating use of plastics worldwide is of societal concern, especially as plastics fragment into smaller, micro- and nano-sized particles. Of particular importance is the effects on aquatic ecosystems since a major part of the nanoplastics eventually reach natural water systems. We identify, using replicated experimental wetlands, a tipping point where nanoplastics become detrimental to the key planktonic grazer, Daphnia. Moreover, the phytoplankton diatoms were also strongly affected by nanoplastics, whereas we detected no effects on the less efficient herbivore copepods, cyanobacteria, benthic bacterial decomposition or any bottom dwelling organisms. That some organisms and ecosystem functions, but not others, are strongly affected by nanoplastic particles predicts considerable alterations in aquatic food webs and a rewiring of feeding links. In a broader context, our study provides crucial data on the effects of nanoplastics in freshwater ecosystems, constituting urgently needed understanding for risk assessment, legislation, and management of plastic material.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ekvall, Mikael T. and Stábile, Franca and Hansson, Lars Anders}},
  issn         = {{2662-4435}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  publisher    = {{Springer Nature}},
  series       = {{Communications Earth and Environment}},
  title        = {{Nanoplastics rewire freshwater food webs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01646-7}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s43247-024-01646-7}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}