Influence of microplastic diet and global temperature increase on filtration, reproduction, and biomass of cladocerans (Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia silvestrii)

• Grant number: 25/01763-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 23, 2025
• End date: August 22, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Gilmar Perbiche Neves
• Grantee: Ruan Tiago Jolo
• Supervisor: Jens Christian Nejstgaard
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Leibniz-Institute Of Freshwater Ecology And Inland Fisheries, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/13149-7 - Influence of microplastic diet in laboratory on respirometry, filtration, reproduction and biomass of cladocerans (Ceriodaphnia silvestrii Daday, 1902) with the enhancing effect of increasing global temperature, BP.IC

Abstract

This project aims to assess the combined effects of microplastic ingestion and increased temperature on the physiological, behavioral, and reproductive parameters of Daphnia magna in Germany, allowing a direct comparison of these results with ongoing research on Ceriodaphnia silvestrii made in Brazil, thus enhancing the overall value of both studies. Specifically, the study will investigate the impact of microplastics on feeding behavior by comparing the filtration rates of both species, and how its ingestion affects their feeding efficiency. The reproductive effects will be analyzed by comparing the number of neonates produced under the same experimental conditions, evaluating the combined impacts of microplastics and elevated temperatures. Growth and biomass will also be examined to understand how these species respond to stress induced by microplastics and temperature changes. The project will also explore the ecological adaptations of these species in response to anthropic challenges, particularly how traits like body size modification, native habitat (tropical vs. temperate), and behavior influence their sensitivity to simulated conditions. Finally, interspecies differences will be analyzed to determine adaptive mechanisms or vulnerabilities of C. silvestrii and D. magna to the combined effects of microplastics and global warming