Abstract: The uptake of microplastics by an important important ecosystem engineer from...
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Bianca Tree (213547283) University of KwaZulu-Natal School of Life Sciences [email protected] Symposium of Contemporary Conservation Practice 2016 Title: The uptake of Microplastics by an important ecosystem engineer from KwaZulu-Natal Abstract: Microplastics are plastic particles with diameters <5 mm, and are derived from industrial production for their use in cosmetics and household products, as well as from the breakdown of larger plastic items. Microplastics in marine environments raise increasing concern as they are available for ingestion by important lower trophic level organisms. Additionally, microplastics may potentially be contaminated with toxicants such as heavy metals and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP’s) present the ocean, which may bioaccumulate in the marine food web. Sea urchins are considered to be important ecosystem engineers, as they have the ability to modify the marine ecosystems in which they live. Through transforming biotic and abiotic materials from one physical state to another, sea urchins create habitats for other marine organisms and control biodiversity. Sea urchins are greatly threatened by microplastic pollution as there are potentially two routes through which these organisms can take up microplastics. Tripneustes gratilla, a species of sea urchin inhabiting the rocky shores along KwaZulu-Natal, takes up microplastic fibres into
Transcript of Abstract: The uptake of microplastics by an important important ecosystem engineer from...
Bianca Tree (213547283) University of KwaZulu-NatalSchool of Life [email protected]
Symposium of Contemporary Conservation Practice 2016
Title: The uptake of Microplastics by an important ecosystem engineer from KwaZulu-Natal
Abstract:
Microplastics are plastic particles with diameters <5 mm, and are derived from industrial production for their use in cosmetics and household products, as well as from the breakdown of larger plastic items. Microplastics in marine environments raise increasing concern as they are available for ingestion by important lower trophic level organisms. Additionally, microplastics may potentially be contaminated with toxicants such as heavy metals and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP’s) present the ocean, which may bioaccumulate in the marine food web. Sea urchins are considered to be important ecosystem engineers, as they have the ability to modify the marine ecosystems in which they live. Through transforming biotic and abiotic materials from one physical state to another, sea urchins create habitats for other marine organisms and control biodiversity. Sea urchins are greatly threatened by microplastic pollution as there are potentially two routes through which these organisms can take up microplastics. Tripneustes gratilla, a species of sea urchin inhabiting the rocky shores along KwaZulu-Natal, takes up microplastic fibres into their water vascular system though their madreporite pores. It has also been observed that seaweed, which are the primary food source for sea urchins, can become contaminated with microplastics. It is currently being investigated whether the uptake of various concentrations of microplastic fibres will have an effect on the water vascular system of T.gratilla. The investigation also aims to determine whether microplastic fibres will be taken up by T. gratilla though feeding on microplastic contaminated seaweed.
Key words: microplastics, ecosystem engineers, sea urchins, water vascular system, seaweed, feeding
