Seasonal rainfall and land-use impacts on microplastic characteristics in an endangered salmon stream.

ABSTRACT: Microplastics (MPs), increasingly common in freshwater ecosystems, pose serious ecological threats to the Formosan landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus masou formosanus), an endangered salmonid endemic to Taiwan. This study presents the first comprehensive investigation into how seasonal variation and land-use patterns influence MP abundance, composition, and distribution in the salmon's exclusive habitats within Shei-Pa National Park, Taiwan. Using µ‑FTIR spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy, we quantified microplastic concentrations and observed higher levels in the dry season (48-93 items/L) than in the wet season (45-72 items/L). Principal component analysis (PCA) further indicated spatial gradients aligned with land‑use contrasts, with higher concentrations associated with intensive ag

SUBMITTER: Hu TY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12848030 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature