Meteorological and climatic variability influences anthropogenic microparticle content in the stomach of the European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus
2022
Misic, Cristina | Capone, Alessandro | Petrillo, Mario
Meteorological and climatic phenomena affect oceanographic characteristics and, consequently, anthropogenic microparticle aggregation. The same phenomena influence the ecology of pelagic fish, but whether there is a connection between meteorological and climatic characteristics and microparticle ingestion remains unknown. In the NW Mediterranean during the springs of 2011–2014, the incidence of contaminated European anchovies (35 ± 17%) and microparticle abundance in the stomach content (0.46 ± 0.25 microparticles ind⁻¹) may have owed to higher concentrations of microparticles due to hydrodynamism. Year 2011 showed a higher fragment contribution (60 ± 17%). The statistical analysis indicated a link between fragment abundance and climatic characteristics, with low North Atlantic Oscillation index values for the previous cold season indicating the transport of water from the polluted Tyrrhenian Sea. Low-density microplastic (polyethylene and polypropylene) was found, a selection due to the pelagic behaviour of anchovy. Fibre abundance remained quite constant throughout the 4-year period, pointing to diffused input not dependent on meteorological forcing. In 2012, anchovies were subjected to bottom-up limitation, due to adverse meteorological forcing (high early spring temperatures, low rainfall). The anchovies mainly ingested fibres through less energy-expensive filter-feeding. Therefore, meteorological and climatic forcing regulates microparticle intake by fish and should be considered for pollution mitigation.
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