Trait strengthening in mussels.xlsx

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous with increasing recognition of its direct effects on species’ fitness. Little is known, however, about its more subtle effects, including the influence of plastic pollution on the morphological, functional and behavioural traits of organisms that are central to their ability to withstand disturbances. Among the least obvious but most pernicious forms of plastic-associated pollution are the chemicals that leach from microplastics. Here, we investigate how such leachates influence species’ traits by assessing functional trait compensation across four species of intertidal mussels, through investigations of byssal thread production, movement and aggregation behaviour for mussels held in natural seawater or seawater contaminated by microplastic leachates.

Seuront, L., Nicastro, K.R., McQuaid, C.D. and Zardi, G.I., Microplastic leachates induce species‐specific trait strengthening in intertidal mussels. Ecological Applications, p.e2222. https://0-doi.org.wam.seals.ac.za/10.1002/eap.2222

Seuront, Laurent; Nicastro, Katy; McQuaid, Christopher; Zardi, Gerardo (2020), Trait strengthening in mussels, v2, Dataset, https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.905qftthq