Effects of microplastics pollution on the abundance and composition of interstitial meiofauna
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| Natura: | Artículo científico |
| Lingua: | en |
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Universidad de Costa Rica
2023
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| _version_ | 1876427338030252032 |
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| author | Ana-Milena Lagos |
| author_facet | Ana-Milena Lagos |
| contents | Effects of microplastics pollution on the abundance and composition of interstitial meiofauna Ana-Milena Lagos M. Victoria Leon Angie Colorado Daniel Giraldo Laura Fragozo Sigmer Y. Quiroga Alejandro Martínez Biología Benthos coastal zone sandy beaches pollution effect meiofauna abundance Introduction: Pollution by microplastics is a global problem in marine environments, which impacts microorganisms and ecosystems at several spatial levels. Sandy beaches are depositional environments where microplastics tend to accumulate in large quantities. The co-occurrence of interstitial meiofauna and microplastics in sand grains raises the question on whether the accumulation of microplastics in the sediments affects the abundance and composition of the meiofaunal communities. Objective: To test the hypothesis that microplastics affect the meiofauna of urban sandy beaches. Methods: We studied the three main urban sandy beaches of Santa Marta, Colombia: El Rodadero, Santa Marta Bay, and Taganga. All are similar in morphology and external pressures, and differ from other beaches in the region. In April 2019 we collected 81 sand samples, equally distributed in the intertidal zone (upper, mid, and lower intertidal levels). We applied generalized linear models to abundance, and multivariate permutational tests to community composition. Results: We identified 17 taxonomic groups of meiofauna, and microplastic particles (mainly 45-500 micron fibres) evenly distributed across beaches and intertidal levels. There was more meiofauna at the mid intertidal level, and in fine and medium grain sediment. At the lower intertidal level, sites with more microplastics had less meiofauna. Abundance of microplastics explained 39 % of the variation in meiofaunal community composition at lower intertidal levels. Conclusions: The accumulation of microplastics might have a negative impact on these meiofaunal interstitial communities. This is not surprising: if microplastics occupy the same physical space as these animals, they might presumably modify the structure of sediments and the composition of interstitial water. 2023 artículo científico 0034-7744 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44975700029 https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/html/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/44975700029.epub https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/movil 10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71i1.50031 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=449 Revista de Biología Tropical application/pdf Universidad de Costa Rica Revista de Biología Tropical (Costa Rica) Num.1 Vol.71 |
| format | Artículo científico |
| id | redalyc_44975700029 |
| institution | Redalyc |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Universidad de Costa Rica |
| spellingShingle | Effects of microplastics pollution on the abundance and composition of interstitial meiofauna Ana-Milena Lagos Biología Benthos coastal zone sandy beaches pollution effect meiofauna abundance Effects of microplastics pollution on the abundance and composition of interstitial meiofauna Ana-Milena Lagos M. Victoria Leon Angie Colorado Daniel Giraldo Laura Fragozo Sigmer Y. Quiroga Alejandro Martínez Biología Benthos coastal zone sandy beaches pollution effect meiofauna abundance Introduction: Pollution by microplastics is a global problem in marine environments, which impacts microorganisms and ecosystems at several spatial levels. Sandy beaches are depositional environments where microplastics tend to accumulate in large quantities. The co-occurrence of interstitial meiofauna and microplastics in sand grains raises the question on whether the accumulation of microplastics in the sediments affects the abundance and composition of the meiofaunal communities. Objective: To test the hypothesis that microplastics affect the meiofauna of urban sandy beaches. Methods: We studied the three main urban sandy beaches of Santa Marta, Colombia: El Rodadero, Santa Marta Bay, and Taganga. All are similar in morphology and external pressures, and differ from other beaches in the region. In April 2019 we collected 81 sand samples, equally distributed in the intertidal zone (upper, mid, and lower intertidal levels). We applied generalized linear models to abundance, and multivariate permutational tests to community composition. Results: We identified 17 taxonomic groups of meiofauna, and microplastic particles (mainly 45-500 micron fibres) evenly distributed across beaches and intertidal levels. There was more meiofauna at the mid intertidal level, and in fine and medium grain sediment. At the lower intertidal level, sites with more microplastics had less meiofauna. Abundance of microplastics explained 39 % of the variation in meiofaunal community composition at lower intertidal levels. Conclusions: The accumulation of microplastics might have a negative impact on these meiofaunal interstitial communities. This is not surprising: if microplastics occupy the same physical space as these animals, they might presumably modify the structure of sediments and the composition of interstitial water. 2023 artículo científico 0034-7744 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44975700029 https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/html/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/44975700029.epub https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/movil 10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71i1.50031 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=449 Revista de Biología Tropical application/pdf Universidad de Costa Rica Revista de Biología Tropical (Costa Rica) Num.1 Vol.71 |
| title | Effects of microplastics pollution on the abundance and composition of interstitial meiofauna |
| topic | Biología Benthos coastal zone sandy beaches pollution effect meiofauna abundance |
| url | https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44975700029 https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/html/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/44975700029.epub https://www.redalyc.org/journal/449/44975700029/movil |