In situ ingestion of microfibres by meiofauna from sandy beaches

TY - JOUR

T1 - In situ ingestion of microfibres by meiofauna from sandy beaches

AU - Gusmão, Felipe

AU - Di Domenico, Maikon

AU - Amaral, A. Cecilia Z.

AU - Martinez Garcia, Alejandro

AU - Gonzalez, Brett C.

AU - Worsaae, Katrine

AU - Ivar do Sul, Juliana A.

AU - Cunha Lana, Paulo da

N1 - Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2016/9/1

Y1 - 2016/9/1

N2 - Microfibres are widespread contaminants in marine environments across the globe. Detecting in situ ingestion of microfibres by small marine organisms is necessary to understand their potential accumulation in marine food webs and their role in marine pollution. We have examined the gut contents of meiofauna from six sandy beaches in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. Out of twenty taxonomic groups, three species of the common sandy beach annelid Saccocirrus displayed in situ ingestion of microfibres in all sites. Laboratory observations showed that species of Saccocirrus are able to egest microfibres with no obvious physical injury. We suggest that their non-selective microphagous suspension-feeding behaviour makes Saccocirrus more prone to ingest microfibres. Although microfibres are rapidly egested with no apparent harm, there is still the potential for trophic transfer into marine food webs through predation of Saccocirrus.

AB - Microfibres are widespread contaminants in marine environments across the globe. Detecting in situ ingestion of microfibres by small marine organisms is necessary to understand their potential accumulation in marine food webs and their role in marine pollution. We have examined the gut contents of meiofauna from six sandy beaches in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. Out of twenty taxonomic groups, three species of the common sandy beach annelid Saccocirrus displayed in situ ingestion of microfibres in all sites. Laboratory observations showed that species of Saccocirrus are able to egest microfibres with no obvious physical injury. We suggest that their non-selective microphagous suspension-feeding behaviour makes Saccocirrus more prone to ingest microfibres. Although microfibres are rapidly egested with no apparent harm, there is still the potential for trophic transfer into marine food webs through predation of Saccocirrus.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.06.015

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.06.015

M3 - Letter

C2 - 27321884

SN - 0269-7491

VL - 216

SP - 584

EP - 590

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

ER -