Microplastic burden in marine benthic invertebrates depends on species traits and feeding ecology within biogeographical provinces.

ABSTRACT: The microplastic body burden of marine animals is often assumed to reflect levels of environmental contamination, yet variations in feeding ecology and regional trait expression could also affect a species' risk of contaminant uptake. Here, we explore the global inventory of individual microplastic body burden for invertebrate species inhabiting marine sediments across 16 biogeographic provinces. We show that individual microplastic body burden in benthic invertebrates cannot be fully explained by absolute levels of microplastic contamination in the environment, because interspecific differences in behaviour and feeding ecology strongly determine microplastic uptake. Our analyses also indicate a degree of species-specific particle selectivity; likely associated with feeding biology. Highes

SUBMITTER: Porter A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10696022 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature