The Silent Stressor in Freshwater Ecosystems
While the accumulation of plastic debris in marine environments is well-documented, the insidious infiltration of synthetic fibres into freshwater ecosystems poses an equally critical threat. Recent research highlights the vulnerability of the Common Frog (Rana temporaria), a sentinel species for pond health. Empirical data from Kolenda et al. (2020) establishes that 26 per cent of tadpoles sampled in Central Europe had ingested microplastics, predominantly fibres linked to domestic wastewater effluents.
The physiological implications are severe rather than benign. Boyero et al. (2020) demonstrate that ingestion creates a state of ‘false satiety’, displacing nutritional intake. This nutrient dilution leads to stunted growth, with documented body mass reductions of up to 18 per cent. Beyond physical condition, exposure compromises neuro-behavioural integrity; specifically, the impairment of predator avoidance reflexes threatens larval survival in increasingly fragmented agricultural landscapes. Consequently, domestic fibre pollution acts as a silent stressor, undermining the biological resilience of common amphibian populations and necessitating urgent mitigation of wastewater contaminants.
Boyero, L., López-Rojo, N., Bosch, J., Alonso, A., Correa-Araneda, F., & Pérez, J. (2020) ‘Microplastics impair amphibian survival, body condition and function’
Source Access
Kolenda, K., Kuśmierek, N., & Pstrowska, K. (20202) ‘Microplastic ingestion by tadpoles of pond-breeding amphibians—first results from Central Europe (SW Poland) Source Access