A new actor on the stage of global change: A multi-level perspective on the toxicity of microplastics pollution in amphibians

全球变化舞台上的新演员：多层次视角看待微塑料污染对两栖动物的毒性

• 批准号: 533973724
• 负责人: Dr. Katharina Ruthsatz
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Zoologisches Institut
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 资助国家: 德国
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/533973724?language=en
• 关键词: new; actor; stage; global; change

Microplastics (MP) are one of the fastest-growing sources of environmental pollution due to the increase in plastic consumption and a poor plastic waste management. Continuous release, worldwide distribution, and long-term environmental persistence of MP in all ecosystems have recently increased attention on the ecological significance and consequences of plastic pollution. In living systems, MP ingestion can trigger a variety of harmful effects on digestive, endocrine, and nervous systems which might ultimately impair all vital rates. MP can also be accumulated and transferred through the food chain. Considering that amphibian population declines are at the forefront of the biodiversity crisis, understanding the (eco-)toxicological risks posed by MP to amphibians is a highly important research topic for their conservation. However, such risks are still mostly unknown for amphibians. Similarly, research on the effects of the ecologically relevant biofilm colonized MP on animal health is scarce and completely missing for amphibians. The proposed project aims to determine the toxicity of MP pollution in amphibians. In particular, this project will investigate multi-level (i.e., molecular, cellular, organ, and individual) effects of MP ingestion in amphibians at and across different life stages (i.e., larvae, metamorphs, juveniles) on development and growth by analyzing various biomarkers and collect data on size-dependent translocation ability of MP particles and thus, accumulation capacity in order to assess the ecological significance of MP pollution in amphibians across life stages. Also, this study aims to explore the interplay of environmental factors, biofilm formation on MP, and effects of biofilm colonized MP on amphibian health. The project is based on three work packages conducted as laboratory experiments: (WP1), examining the effect of particle size and temperature on biofilm colonization of MP particles, (WP2), investigating the effects of MP ingestion in relation to temperature on the physiology and metabolic health during and after amphibian metamorphosis as well as possible translocation of MP and concomitant long-term accumulation of MP in amphibians across life stages, and (WP3), assessing the MP intake and short-term accumulation at different amphibian life stages. The laboratory study will use the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis), a well-established model species in (eco-)toxicological studies. The results of this study will enable us to understand the effects of MP on amphibians more holistically and to draw first conclusions on the possible threat of MP on amphibian populations. Further, the results of this study might serve as a basis for appropriate conservation strategies in order to reduce the release of plastic debris into the environment.

由于塑料消费量的增加和塑料废物管理不善，微塑料（MP）是增长最快的环境污染源之一。MP在所有生态系统中的持续释放，全球分布和长期环境持久性最近增加了对塑料污染的生态意义和后果的关注。在生命系统中，MP摄入可引发对消化系统、内分泌系统和神经系统的各种有害影响，最终可能损害所有生命率。MP也可以通过食物链积累和转移。考虑到两栖动物种群数量的下降是生物多样性危机的最前沿，了解MP对两栖动物造成的（生态）毒理学风险是一个非常重要的研究课题。然而，这种风险对两栖动物来说仍然是未知的。同样，关于与生态相关的生物膜定殖MP对动物健康影响的研究很少，对于两栖动物来说完全缺失。拟议项目旨在确定MP污染对两栖动物的毒性。特别是，该项目将调查多层次（即，两栖动物在不同生命阶段（即，通过分析各种生物标志物和收集MP颗粒大小依赖的转运能力和累积能力的数据，以评估MP污染在两栖动物各生命阶段的生态意义，研究MP污染对两栖动物（幼体、变态、幼体）发育和生长的影响。此外，本研究的目的是探讨环境因素的相互作用，生物膜形成的MP，以及生物膜定殖的MP对两栖动物健康的影响。该项目基于作为实验室实验进行的三个工作包：（WP 1），检查粒度和温度对MP颗粒的生物膜定殖的影响，（WP 2），调查MP摄入与温度对两栖动物变态期间和之后的生理和代谢健康的影响，以及MP和伴随的长期-两栖动物不同生命阶段MP的长期积累，以及（WP 3），评估不同两栖动物生命阶段MP的摄入量和短期积累。实验室研究将使用非洲爪蟾（Xenopus laevis），这是（生态）毒理学研究中一种成熟的模式物种。本研究的结果将使我们能够更全面地了解MP对两栖动物的影响，并就MP对两栖动物种群的可能威胁得出初步结论。此外，这项研究的结果可以作为适当的保护策略的基础，以减少塑料碎片释放到环境中。