Cascading effects of micro- and nano-plastics on lipid quality and transfer through freshwater planktonic ecosystems

尽管全球越来越关注世界海洋、河流和湖泊中出现的小塑料颗粒（纳米和微塑料），但在了解对生物体的不利影响方面的研究有限。对水生食物网后果的调查就更少了。最近，卡迪夫大学的一项独特研究表明，一些微塑料对藻类的影响是多么广泛——特别是通过改变它们的脂质组成。这些分子在所有细胞膜的结构和功能中都很重要，包括质膜、叶绿体和线粒体膜，以及为细胞外层和细胞壁提供结构的蜡和甾酯。必需脂肪酸（FAs）的合成似乎也受到了干扰。这些发现不仅揭示了塑料影响藻类的基本机制，还表明塑料污染可能从底部向上破坏整个淡水食物网。例如，浮游动物依靠高质量的藻类作为食物和生长，反过来又为捕食者提供重要的生物量。这位前沿博士将进一步探索这种影响，研究i)不同类型和大小的塑料（纳米到微）如何影响不同藻类的脂质组成；ii)利用微观、中微观和实际的野外条件评估淡水藻类和浮游动物之间的级联效应的潜力。

Despite growing global concern about the occurrence of small plastic particles (nano- and micro-plastics) in the world's seas, rivers and lakes, there has been limited research into understanding any adverse effects on living organisms. Investigations of the consequences for aquatic food webs are even rarer.Recent, unique research at Cardiff University has shown how widespread algae are affected by some microplastics - specifically through changes in the composition of their lipids. These molecules are important in the structure and functioning of all cell membranes, including the plasma membrane, chloroplast and mitochondrial membranes, as well as in the waxes and steryl esters that provide structure to the extracellular layer and cell wall. The synthesis of essential fatty acids (FAs) also appears to be disrupted.These discoveries not only reveal a fundamental mechanism through which plastic could affect algae, but also suggests that plastic pollution could disrupt whole freshwater food webs from the bottom upwards. Zooplankton, for example, depend on high-quality algae for their food and growth, in turn providing important biomass for predators.This cutting-edge PhD will explore such effects further, investigating i) how different types and sizes of plastic (nano- to micro) affect the lipid composition of different algae and ii) assessing the potential for cascading effects between freshwater algae and zooplankton using microcosms, mesocosms and actual field conditions.