Cited by 24Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyAnimal Behavior and Reproduction

Polystyrene microplastics weaken the predator-induced defenses of Daphnia magna: Evidences from the changes in morphology and behavior

Wang, Zihang, Wang, Yixiang, Qin, Shanshan, Yang, Zhou, Sun, Yunfei·2023·Environmental Pollution

Abstract

Polystyrene microplastics are ubiquitous in freshwater ecosystems and have significant impacts on freshwater organisms. Stable interspecific relationships, including the predation and defense relationships between predator and prey, play an extremely important role in maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems. However, it still remains unknown whether polystyrene microplastics can interfere with predator-induced defenses of prey, especially in behavior change. Therefore, we studied the effects of different particle sizes and concentrations of polystyrene microplastics on the induced defenses related to morphology, reproduction, and behavior of Daphnia magna exposed to the predation risks from a species of zooplanktivorous fish Rhodeus ocellatus. Results showed that polystyrene microplastics weakened the predator-induced defenses of D. magna, including morphology, reproduction, and behavior. Polystyrene microplastics did not affect the beat rate of the second antennae (swimming activity) and thoracic appendage (filter-feeding activity) of D. magna, but R. ocellatus kairomone reduced Daphnia swimming activity. Moreover, in the absence of R. ocellatus predation risks, polystyrene microplastics did not alter the vertical distribution of D. magna in the water column, whereas D. magna exposed to R. ocellatus kairomone stayed deeper in the water; however, when both polystyrene microplastics and fish kairomone were present, D. magna inhabited in shallower water. Furthermore, small-sized microplastics interfered with the inducible behavioral defense of D. magna more strongly than large-sized polystyrene microplastics. Such findings suggested that polystyrene microplastics can weaken the predator-induced defenses of Daphnia, which may increase their risk of predation and alter the population dynamics of zooplankton.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120657

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Authors
Wang, Z., Wang, Y., Qin, S., Yang, Z., & Sun, Y.
Affiliations
Nanjing Normal University (CN)
Corresponding author
Sun, Yunfei
Venue
Environmental Pollution
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2023-01
Volume
316
Issue
Pt 2
Pages
120657
ISSN
0269-7491 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4308842276
Cited by
24
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1
FWCI
1.01
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Environmental Pollution (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (31730105)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
Keywords
polystyrene microplastics, Daphnia magna, predator-induced defense, Rhodeus ocellatus, fish kairomones, zooplankton predation, swimming behavior, vertical distribution, microplastic particle size, microplastic concentration, induced defense, zooplankton dynamics, freshwater ecosystems
MeSH terms
Microplastics, Animals, Daphnia, Fishes, Pheromones, Plastics, Polystyrenes, Water, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Ecosystem

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