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

由于塑料消费的增加和塑料垃圾管理不善，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引起了人们对塑料污染的生态意义和后果的关注。在生命系统中，摄入MP会对消化、内分泌和神经系统产生各种有害影响，最终可能会损害所有的生命频率。MP也可以通过食物链积累和转移。考虑到两栖动物数量的减少处于生物多样性危机的前沿，了解MP对两栖动物构成的(生态)毒理风险是保护两栖动物的一个非常重要的研究课题。然而，对于两栖动物来说，这种风险大多仍是未知的。类似地，关于被MP定植的生态相关生物膜对动物健康的影响的研究也很少，对于两栖动物来说完全缺乏。拟议的项目旨在确定MP污染对两栖动物的毒性。特别是，该项目将通过分析各种生物标志物来调查不同生命阶段(即幼虫、变态、幼体)中MP摄取对两栖动物发育和生长的多层次(即分子、细胞、器官和个体)影响，并收集MP颗粒大小依赖的转运能力和累积能力的数据，以评估MP污染在两栖动物生命阶段中的生态意义。此外，本研究旨在探讨环境因素、生物膜形成对MP的影响，以及生物膜定植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：(WP1)，研究颗粒大小和温度对MP颗粒生物膜定植的影响；(WP2)，调查摄取与温度有关的MP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在两栖动物生命阶段中可能的移位和伴随而来的MP的长期积累；以及(WP3)，评估MP在不同两栖生命阶段的摄取和短期积累。这项实验室研究将使用非洲爪蛙(非洲爪蛙)，这是(生态)毒理学研究中公认的模式物种。这项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战略的基础，以减少向环境中释放的塑料碎片。

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.