Gonzalez-Pineda Mariona, Salvadó Humbert, Monràs-Riera Pere, Avila Conxita
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Catalonia, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, & Water Research Institute (IdRA), University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Catalonia, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.
Environ Pollut. 2025 Nov 1;384:127017. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127017. Epub 2025 Aug 25.
Antarctic benthic ecosystems are currently threatened by global change and direct human impact. Pollution from local human activities is among the most relevant emerging hazards affecting Antarctic organisms. Micro-litter (ML) has already been found in Antarctic marine ecosystems, including diverse benthic fauna. This study characterised and quantified ML in a common soft-bottom filter-feeding solitary ascidian, Cnemidocarpa verrucosa (Lesson, 1830), along the Antarctic Peninsula from 62° S to 67° S, focusing particularly on Deception Island. Study sites included Johnsons' Bay (Livingston Island), Deception Island (South Shetland Islands), Uruguay Island (Yalour Islands), and Ryder Buttress (Ryder Bay, Adelaide Island). More than half of the analysed organisms contained at least one ML particle, with an average of 0.14 ± 0.26 items per gram (viscera wet weight) and 1.62 ± 1.79 items per individual. Microplastics represented 37 % of the total ML items found. Along the Antarctic Peninsula, significantly higher amounts of ML were found in Johnsons' Bay and Uruguay Island. Within Deception Island, significantly higher ML abundances were found in Murature, at the innermost part of the island. The most common items found were black or blue cellulosic fibres within the smallest size range analysed (100-500 μm). We suggest that variations in ML among sites could be mainly due to the different intensity of anthropogenic activities, although environmental characteristics of the locations (i.e. currents, bottom type) also played a key role in its distribution. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess ML pollution in an Antarctic ascidian and it also represents the southernmost benthic invertebrate study regarding ML along the Antarctic Peninsula. We believe this research may contribute to the development of policies to protect the Antarctic marine benthos from human pollution and improve their management.
南极底栖生态系统目前正受到全球变化和人类直接影响的威胁。当地人类活动产生的污染是影响南极生物的最主要新出现危害之一。微垃圾（ML）已在南极海洋生态系统中被发现，包括多种底栖动物。本研究对南极半岛从南纬62°至67°的一种常见的软底滤食性独居海鞘——疣背海鞘（Cnemidocarpa verrucosa，莱松，1830年）中的微垃圾进行了特征描述和量化，特别关注欺骗岛。研究地点包括约翰逊湾（利文斯顿岛）、欺骗岛（南设得兰群岛）、乌拉圭岛（亚洛尔群岛）和莱德支撑点（莱德湾，阿德莱德岛）。超过一半的分析生物体至少含有一个微垃圾颗粒，平均每克（内脏湿重）有0.14±0.26个颗粒，每个个体有1.62±1.79个颗粒。微塑料占所发现的微垃圾颗粒总数的37%。在南极半岛，约翰逊湾和乌拉圭岛的微垃圾含量明显更高。在欺骗岛内，位于该岛最内侧的穆拉图尔的微垃圾丰度明显更高。在所分析的最小尺寸范围（100 - 500微米）内，最常见的物品是黑色或蓝色纤维素纤维。我们认为，各地点微垃圾的差异可能主要是由于人为活动强度不同，尽管地点的环境特征（即洋流、底部类型）在其分布中也起到了关键作用。据我们所知，这是第一项评估南极海鞘中微垃圾污染的研究，它也是南极半岛关于微垃圾的最南端底栖无脊椎动物研究。我们相信这项研究可能有助于制定保护南极海洋底栖生物免受人类污染并改善其管理的政策。
