Efectos intergeneracionales de la exposición crónica a microplásticos de baja densidad en el zooplancton: el caso del copépodo Paracalanus parvus en el Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica

Abstract

The text discusses the widespread use of plastic, the increasing production of plastic waste, and its entry into the marine environment, primarily through rivers. Plastic waste in the oceans is broken down into microplastics, which can be ingested by various marine organisms, including copepods, a type of zooplankton crucial to the marine ecosystem. Copepods play a key role in the Biological Carbon Pump (BBC), which helps sequester carbon in the oceans. However, studies suggest that microplastics can negatively affect copepods, reducing their feeding activity, development, fertility, hatching success, and survival. This can potentially disrupt the BBC and, ultimately, impact the entire marine food web.

The study aims to investigate the chronic and multigenerational effects of low-density microplastics (such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene) on copepods, specifically Paracalanus parvus. The research will assess various parameters, including development, fecundity, survival, and population fitness, as well as fecal pellet production and characteristics, which are essential for the efficiency of the BBC.

The study is significant because it explores the ecological impact of chronic microplastic exposure on copepods and, by extension, on the marine ecosystem. It also mentions that Costa Rica, a country with high plastic pollution levels, is chosen as the study location due to its relevance to this issue.