Meeting Abstract
Plastic pieces that are less than 5 mm diameter, microplastics, are considered as an increasing threat to marine organisms due to their high abundance, persistence nature, and absorption of other pollutants. However, little is known about effect of ingesting microplastics during early stage on later developmental stages despite many marine invertebrates have complex life histories. Here, we used a two-stage experiment to first expose the Crepidula onyx veliger larvae to algal diet with the addition of micro-polystyrene (micro-PS) and we subsequently presented them with a normal algal diet without micro-PS after settlement. Although the larvae selectively fed on algae and against the micro-PS, they grew at a slower rate which suggests that ingestion and/or removal of micro-PS cost energy. These micro-PS fed larvae also settled at a smaller size compared to the control groups which are fed only with algae, such decrease in size could reduce post-settlement success in the field. In the second experimental stage, juvenile C. onyx survived but had slower growth rates when micro-PS were continuously added to their diets. Surprisingly, the growth rate of juveniles remained slower than those in control even if micro-PS was not given to them for 65 days after the initial larval exposure. This observed legacy effect highlights the importance of considering long-term impacts and risks of microplastic pieces, even after removing them from the environment.
