Author
Awantha Dissanayake
Other affiliations: Gibraltar Hardware, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Nagasaki University
Bio: Awantha Dissanayake is an academic researcher from University of Plymouth. The author has contributed to research in topics: Decapoda & Mytilus. The author has an hindex of 19, co-authored 33 publications receiving 2617 citations. Previous affiliations of Awantha Dissanayake include Gibraltar Hardware & Plymouth Marine Laboratory.
Topics: Decapoda, Mytilus, Carcinus maenas, Marine ecosystem, Submarine canyon
Papers
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TL;DR: The data indicate as plastic fragments into smaller particles, the potential for accumulation in the tissues of an organism increases and further work using a wider range of organisms, polymers, and periods of exposure will be required to establish the biological consequences of this debris.
Abstract: Plastics debris is accumulating in the environment and is fragmenting into smaller pieces; as it does, the potential for ingestion by animals increases. The consequences of macroplastic debris for wildlife are well documented, however the impacts of microplastic (< 1 mm) are poorly understood. The mussel, Mytilus edulis, was used to investigate ingestion, translocation, and accumulation of this debris. Initial experiments showed that upon ingestion, microplastic accumulated in the gut. Mussels were subsequently exposed to treatments containing seawater and microplastic (3.0 or 9.6 microm). After transfer to clean conditions, microplastic was tracked in the hemolymph. Particles translocated from the gut to the circulatory system within 3 days and persisted for over 48 days. Abundance of microplastic was greatest after 12 days and declined thereafter. Smaller particles were more abundant than larger particles and our data indicate as plastic fragments into smaller particles, the potential for accumulation in the tissues of an organism increases. The short-term pulse exposure used here did not result in significant biological effects. However, plastics are exceedingly durable and so further work using a wider range of organisms, polymers, and periods of exposure will be required to establish the biological consequences of this debris.
1,708 citations
TL;DR: Results illustrate how a suite of biomarkers applied to different sentinel species can provide a 'diagnosis of stress', whereby, effects at the molecular level can be used to interpret the level of physiological impairment of the organism.
256 citations
Spanish National Research Council1, Norwegian Institute for Water Research2, National University of Ireland, Galway3, University of Plymouth4, Grid-Arendal5, National Oceanography Centre6, National Scientific and Technical Research Council7, IFREMER8, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration9, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research10
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of the ecological status of canyons and current and future issues for canyon conservation is presented, highlighting the need for a better understanding of anthropogenic impacts on canyon ecosystems and proposes other research required to inform management measures to protect canyon ecosystems.
Abstract: Submarine canyons are major geomorphic features of continental margins around the world. Several recent multidisciplinary projects focused on the study of canyons have considerably increased our understanding of their ecological role, the goods and services they provide to human populations, and the impacts that human activities have on their overall ecological condition. Pressures from human activities include fishing, dumping of land-based mine tailings, and oil and gas extraction. Moreover, hydrodynamic processes of canyons enhance the down-canyon transport of litter. The effects of climate change may modify the intensity of currents. This potential hydrographic change is predicted to impact the structure and functioning of canyon communities as well as affect nutrient supply to the deep-ocean ecosystem. This review not only identifies the ecological status of canyons, and current and future issues for canyon conservation, but also highlights the need for a better understanding of anthropogenic impacts on canyon ecosystems and proposes other research required to inform management measures to protect canyon ecosystems.
202 citations
TL;DR: S suites of biomarkers, devised to measure molecular damage, developmental abnormality and physiological impairment, were combined with chemical analysis to determine exposure to and the effects of pollution at sites within Southampton Water.
Abstract: Incorporation of ecologically relevant biomarkers into routine environmental management programs has been advocated as a pragmatic means of linking environmental degradation with its causes. Here, suites of biomarkers, devised to measure molecular damage, developmental abnormality and physiological impairment, were combined with chemical analysis to determine exposure to and the effects of pollution at sites within Southampton Water (UK). Test species included a filter feeder, a grazer, and an omnivore to determine the sensitivity of organisms occupying different trophic levels. Linear regression confirmed a significant association between incidence of intersex in Littorina littorea and tributyltin (TBT) concentrations (R 2 = 0.954) and between PAH metabolites in Carcinus maenas urine and PAHs in sediments (R 2 = 0.754). Principal component analysis revealed a gradient of detrimental impact to biota from the head to the mouth of the estuary, coincident with high sediment concentrations of heavy metals, PA...
198 citations
University of Jena1, Laval University2, University of Waikato3, University of Fribourg4, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center5, University of the Azores6, University of Catania7, University of Lisbon8, Environment Agency9, University of Plymouth10, Gibraltar Hardware11, University of São Paulo12, University of Roehampton13, University of Bern14, University of Montpellier15, University of Hamburg16, Imperial College London17, University of La Rochelle18, Harvard University19, University of Arizona20, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile21, University of Essex22, University of Münster23, University of Pittsburgh24, Max Planck Society25, University of York26, Instituto Superior Técnico27, Russian Academy of Sciences28, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science29, University of Canberra30, Université du Québec à Rimouski31, Peking University32
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that species traits explain striking patterns in the body-size architecture of natural food webs that underpin the stability and functioning of ecosystems, paving the way for community-level management of the most complex natural ecosystems.
Abstract: Predator-prey interactions in natural ecosystems generate complex food webs that have a simple universal body-size architecture where predators are systematically larger than their prey. Food-web theory shows that the highest predator-prey body-mass ratios found in natural food webs may be especially important because they create weak interactions with slow dynamics that stabilize communities against perturbations and maintain ecosystem functioning. Identifying these vital interactions in real communities typically requires arduous identification of interactions in complex food webs. Here, we overcome this obstacle by developing predator-trait models to predict average body-mass ratios based on a database comprising 290 food webs from freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems across all continents. We analysed how species traits constrain body-size architecture by changing the slope of the predator-prey body-mass scaling. Across ecosystems, we found high body-mass ratios for predator groups with specific trait combinations including (1) small vertebrates and (2) large swimming or flying predators. Including the metabolic and movement types of predators increased the accuracy of predicting which species are engaged in high body-mass ratio interactions. We demonstrate that species traits explain striking patterns in the body-size architecture of natural food webs that underpin the stability and functioning of ecosystems, paving the way for community-level management of the most complex natural ecosystems.
125 citations
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TL;DR: The mechanisms of generation and potential impacts of microplastics in the ocean environment are discussed, and the increasing levels of plastic pollution of the oceans are understood, it is important to better understand the impact of microPlastic in the Ocean food web.
4,706 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a document, redatto, voted and pubblicato by the Ipcc -Comitato intergovernativo sui cambiamenti climatici - illustra la sintesi delle ricerche svolte su questo tema rilevante.
Abstract: Cause, conseguenze e strategie di mitigazione Proponiamo il primo di una serie di articoli in cui affronteremo l’attuale problema dei mutamenti climatici. Presentiamo il documento redatto, votato e pubblicato dall’Ipcc - Comitato intergovernativo sui cambiamenti climatici - che illustra la sintesi delle ricerche svolte su questo tema rilevante.
4,187 citations
TL;DR: Global plastics production and the accumulation of plastic waste are documented, showing that trends in mega- and macro-plastic accumulation rates are no longer uniformly increasing and that the average size of plastic particles in the environment seems to be decreasing.
Abstract: One of the most ubiquitous and long-lasting recent changes to the surface of our planet is the accumulation and fragmentation of plastics. Within just a few decades since mass production of plastic...
4,044 citations
TL;DR: Ingestion of microplastics has been demonstrated in a range of marine organisms, a process which may facilitate the transfer of chemical additives or hydrophobic waterborne pollutants to biota.
3,643 citations
TL;DR: This review of 68 studies compares the methodologies used for the identification and quantification of microplastics from the marine environment and suggests standardized sampling procedures which allow the spatiotemporal comparison ofmicroplastic abundance across marine environments.
Abstract: This review of 68 studies compares the methodologies used for the identification and quantification of microplastics from the marine environment. Three main sampling strategies were identified: selective, volume-reduced, and bulk sampling. Most sediment samples came from sandy beaches at the high tide line, and most seawater samples were taken at the sea surface using neuston nets. Four steps were distinguished during sample processing: density separation, filtration, sieving, and visual sorting of microplastics. Visual sorting was one of the most commonly used methods for the identification of microplastics (using type, shape, degradation stage, and color as criteria). Chemical and physical characteristics (e.g., specific density) were also used. The most reliable method to identify the chemical composition of microplastics is by infrared spectroscopy. Most studies reported that plastic fragments were polyethylene and polypropylene polymers. Units commonly used for abundance estimates are “items per m2” ...
3,119 citations