Journal
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
Volume 1, Issue 5, Pages -Publisher
NATURE PORTFOLIO
DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0116
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- Natural Environment Research Council [NE/L007010, NE/N006178]
- European Union FP7 [308370]
- NERC [NE/N006178/1, NE/L003988/1, NE/L007010/1] Funding Source: UKRI
- Natural Environment Research Council [NE/L007010/1, NE/L003988/1, NE/N006178/1] Funding Source: researchfish
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Marine microscopic plastic (microplastic) debris is a modern societal issue, illustrating the challenge of balancing the convenience of plastic in daily life with the prospect of causing ecological harm by careless disposal. Here we develop the concept of microplastic as a complex, dynamic mixture of polymers and additives, to which organic material and contaminants can success-ively bind to form an 'ecocorona', increasing the density and surface charge of particles and changing their bio-availability and toxicity. Chronic exposure to microplastic is rarely lethal, but can adversely affect individual animals, reducing feeding and depleting energy stores, with knock-on effects for fecundity and growth. We explore the extent to which ecological processes could be impacted, including altered behaviours, bioturbation and impacts on carbon flux to the deep ocean. We discuss how microplastic compares with other anthropogenic pollutants in terms of ecological risk, and consider the role of science and society in tackling this global issue in the future.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available