Plastics as Non-Toxic Disruptors of Aquatic Ecosystems

Plastics are receiving widespread attention as an environmental contaminant, but their role in disrupting the behavior and physiology of organisms remains neglected. Here, I highlight growing evidence that plastics have pervasive, non-toxic effects in aquatic ecosystems, especially on feeding interactions. These effects ultimately have consequences for the flow of energy through food webs and the productivity of entire ecosystems. New research efforts are now needed to link synthetic polymers and their additive chemistries to food web interactions under field conditions. This knowledge could be used to strengthen regulatory risk assessments, similar to the process for other ecological-disrupting compounds, such as those that interfere with hormone systems.