3/18/2025, 6:57:16 PM | Phys.org | news
Poor feeding habits due to climate change may cause sardines to ingest more microplastics
A study published in Environmental Pollution by researchers from the University of Barcelona (UAB), IFREMER, and CNRS, highlights how climate change is altering the feeding habits of sardines, leading them to ingest more microplastics. The research demonstrates that sardines, which are increasingly forced to filter-feed due to the reduction in size of plankton, consume an average of 4.95 plastic fibers per individual compared to 0.6 for those that capture food particles directly. The study suggests that these changes in behavior could have broader implications for marine ecosystems and conservation efforts.