The Impact of Polystyrene Microplastics on Feeding, Function and Fecundity in the Marine Copepod Calanus helgolandicus

Microscopic plastic debris, termed “microplastics”, are of increasing environmental concern. Recent studies have demonstrated that a range of zooplankton, including copepods, can ingest microplastics. Copepods are a globally abundant class of zooplankton that form a key trophic link between primary producers and higher trophic marine organisms. Here we demonstrate that ingestion of microplastics can significantly alter the feeding capacity of the pelagic copepod Calanus helgolandicus. Exposed to 20 μm polystyrene beads (75 microplastics mL(–1)) and cultured algae ([250 μg C L(–1)) for 24 h, C. helgolandicus ingested 11% fewer algal cells (P = 0.33) and 40% less carbon biomass (P

• SR
  Sight Research UK

  Awards: NE/L003988/1, pml010007, pml010009, NE/L007010/1
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council

  Awards: NE/L007010/1, NE/L007010/1, NE/I528034, pml010009, pml010007, NE/L003988/1