Microplastics reduce net population growth and fecal pellet sinking rates for the marine copepod, Acartia tonsa

Microplastics (<5 mm) are ubiquitous in the global environment and increasingly recognized as a biological hazard, particularly oceans. Zooplankton, at base of marine food web, have been known to consume microplastics. However, we know little about impacts microplastics across life history stages on carbon settling. Here, investigated effects ingestion neutrally buoyant polystyrene beads (6.68 ?m) by copepod Acartia tonsa (1) growth survival stages, (2) fecundity egg quality, (3) fecal characteristics. We found that microplastic exposure reduced body length for nauplii resulted smaller eggs when copepods were exposed during oogenesis. Combining these impacts, our models estimate 15% decrease population leading projected 30-fold abundance over 1 year or 20 generations with exposure. In addition, microplastic-contaminated pellets 2.29-fold sinking rates calculated be 1.76-fold slower, resulting an estimated 4.03-fold reduction volume settling benthos per day. Taken together, declines sizes suggest consumption zooplankton could cascading ecosystem via trophic energy transfer slower