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Plastic pollution has the potential to alter ecological and evolutionary processes in aquatic ecosystems

Nature Ecology & Evolution volume 9, pages 762–768 (2025)Cite this article

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Abstract

We are beginning to understand the ecotoxicological effects of plastic pollution at the suborganismal, individual, population and community levels, but research has only just begun to explore the ecological and evolutionary impacts of plastic as a new habitat. The global introduction of plastic waste into aquatic environments introduces diverse and variable habitat modifications, altering ecosystems and potentially forming new ecological niches. This widespread habitat modification spans several aquatic ecosystems, including the pelagic ocean, deep-sea benthos, lakes and rivers. Recent studies suggest that habitat modification may interact with and alter ecological and evolutionary processes, affecting populations, communities and species, for example, through feeding ecology, mating behaviour and dispersal. However, further research is necessary to understand the potential long-term effects of plastic pollution on ecological and evolutionary processes across global aquatic ecosystems. Here, we review this emerging field of research and its trajectory.

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Fig. 1: Animals using plastic debris as habitat.
Fig. 2: Conceptual figures demonstrate how niche space may be altered by the introduction of plastic debris into aquatic ecosystems.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery grant awarded to C.M.R.

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  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Jacob Haney & Chelsea M. Rochman

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  1. Jacob Haney
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  2. Chelsea M. Rochman
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Contributions

J.H. and C.M.R. collaborated on the design of this study. The study was led by J.H. J.H. wrote the first draft of the manuscript. C.M.R. reviewed and edited the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Chelsea M. Rochman.

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Nature Ecology & Evolution thanks Linsey Haram and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Haney, J., Rochman, C.M. Plastic pollution has the potential to alter ecological and evolutionary processes in aquatic ecosystems. Nat Ecol Evol 9, 762–768 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02678-8

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