Short-Term Microplastic Exposure Impairs Cognition in Hermit Crabs
We tested whether acute microplastic exposure impacts information gathering and processing (cognition) in hermit crabs (<i>Pagurus bernhardus</i>). For five days, we kept 51 hermit crabs in tanks containing either polyethylene microspheres (<i>n</i> = 27) or no plastic (<i...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/6/1055 |
| _version_ | 1797613911458971648 |
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| author | Andrew Crump Catherine Aiken Eoghan M. Cunningham Gareth Arnott |
| author_facet | Andrew Crump Catherine Aiken Eoghan M. Cunningham Gareth Arnott |
| author_sort | Andrew Crump |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We tested whether acute microplastic exposure impacts information gathering and processing (cognition) in hermit crabs (<i>Pagurus bernhardus</i>). For five days, we kept 51 hermit crabs in tanks containing either polyethylene microspheres (<i>n</i> = 27) or no plastic (<i>n</i> = 24). We then transferred individuals into an intermediate-quality shell and presented them with two vials containing either a better or worse shell. Because touching both shell vials required an equivalent behavioural response, this design controlled for general activity. Plastic-exposed hermit crabs were less likely and slower than controls to touch the better shell vial, instead preferring the worse shell vial. Microplastics, therefore, impaired assessments and decision-making, providing direct evidence of acute microplastic exposure disrupting hermit crab cognition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:01:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-386deb639a0841908a5dd93e380c4d87 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:01:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-386deb639a0841908a5dd93e380c4d872023-11-17T09:11:43ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-03-01136105510.3390/ani13061055Short-Term Microplastic Exposure Impairs Cognition in Hermit CrabsAndrew Crump0Catherine Aiken1Eoghan M. Cunningham2Gareth Arnott3Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UKInstitute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UKInstitute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UKInstitute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UKWe tested whether acute microplastic exposure impacts information gathering and processing (cognition) in hermit crabs (<i>Pagurus bernhardus</i>). For five days, we kept 51 hermit crabs in tanks containing either polyethylene microspheres (<i>n</i> = 27) or no plastic (<i>n</i> = 24). We then transferred individuals into an intermediate-quality shell and presented them with two vials containing either a better or worse shell. Because touching both shell vials required an equivalent behavioural response, this design controlled for general activity. Plastic-exposed hermit crabs were less likely and slower than controls to touch the better shell vial, instead preferring the worse shell vial. Microplastics, therefore, impaired assessments and decision-making, providing direct evidence of acute microplastic exposure disrupting hermit crab cognition.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/6/1055animal cognitionhermit crabmicroplastic pollutionshell selection |
| spellingShingle | Andrew Crump Catherine Aiken Eoghan M. Cunningham Gareth Arnott Short-Term Microplastic Exposure Impairs Cognition in Hermit Crabs Animals animal cognition hermit crab microplastic pollution shell selection |
| title | Short-Term Microplastic Exposure Impairs Cognition in Hermit Crabs |
| title_full | Short-Term Microplastic Exposure Impairs Cognition in Hermit Crabs |
| title_fullStr | Short-Term Microplastic Exposure Impairs Cognition in Hermit Crabs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Short-Term Microplastic Exposure Impairs Cognition in Hermit Crabs |
| title_short | Short-Term Microplastic Exposure Impairs Cognition in Hermit Crabs |
| title_sort | short term microplastic exposure impairs cognition in hermit crabs |
| topic | animal cognition hermit crab microplastic pollution shell selection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/6/1055 |
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