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Briffa M, Arnott G, Hardege JD. Hermit crabs as model species for investigating the behavioural responses to pollution. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167360. [PMID: 37774883 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Human impacts on the environment affect organisms at all levels of biological organisation and ultimately can change their phenotype. Over time, phenotypic change may arise due to selection but individual phenotypes are also subject to change via genotype × environment interactions. In animals, behaviour is the most flexible aspect of phenotype, and hence the most liable to change across environmental gradients including exposure to pollution. Here we review current knowledge on the impacts of pollution, broadly defined to include the release of substances, energy, and the effects of carbon emissions, on the behaviour of a highly studied group, the globally distributed hermit crabs. We first show how their obligate association with empty gastropod shells underpins their use as model organisms for the study of resource-assessment, contest, and risk-coping behaviours. Intense study of hermit crabs has advanced our understanding of how animals use information, and we discuss the ways in which pollutants can disrupt the cognitive processes involved. We then highlight current studies of hermit crabs, which paint a clear picture of behavioural changes due to multiple pollutants. Impacts on behaviour vary across pollutants and entire suites of behaviours can be influenced by a single pollutant, with the potential for interactive and cascade effects. Hermit crabs offer the opportunity for detailed behavioural analysis, including application of the repeated measures animal-personality framework, and they are highly amenable to experimental manipulations. As such, we show how they now provide a model system for studying the impacts of pollution on behaviour, yielding insights broadly applicable across animal diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Briffa
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.
| | - Gareth Arnott
- Queen's University Belfast, School of Biological Sciences, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Jörg D Hardege
- Scool of Natural Sciences, Biological Science, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
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2
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Yu F, Pei Y, Zhang X, Wu X, Zhang G, Ma J. Occurrence and distribution characteristics of aged microplastics in the surface water, sediment, and crabs of the aquaculture pond in the Yangtze River Delta of China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 871:162039. [PMID: 36746285 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The artificial breeding of freshwater crabs in China has become the main source, accounting for 45.69 % of the total output in 2020. However, microplastics widely exist in ponds due to the addition of meals, and the aging and breakage of plastic tools, and people know little about the occurrence of microplastics in the environment and the tissues of crabs during the cultivation of crabs in ponds. In this study, the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in ponds and crabs were studied finely, and the types of microplastics produced by meals and tools and the aging degree of microplastics in different media were studied in a typical aquaculture experimental base in the Yangtze Estuary of China. After we digested all the samples, there were microplastics in the water, sediment, and inedible part of crabs and crab meals, mainly in fiber shape, with a particle size of 100~300μm, and they have a certain degree of aging. The abundance of microplastics in surface water ranges from 4.4 to 10.8 items/L, and that in sediment ranges from 28.6 to 54.3 items/100 g·dry weight sediments. The average abundance of microplastics in crabs was 23.9 ± 15.9 items/individual. The content of microplastics in crabs' intestinal tissue was the highest, followed by gills and hepatopancreas. At the same time, the microplastics found in crabs were positively correlated with crab body weight and negatively correlated with hepatopancreas index. The results show that in the process of artificial breeding pond feeding, microplastics will be released from the process of meals dissolving in water, and fall off due to wear and tear during the use of tools. Microplastics found in the water, sediments and the tissues of crabs were all aged. Humans have a risk of ingesting microplastics when they eat the tissues of nonedible parts of crabs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Yu
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, No 999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai 201306, PR China
| | - Yizhi Pei
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, No 999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai 201306, PR China
| | - Xiaochen Zhang
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, No 999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai 201306, PR China
| | - Xugan Wu
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, No 999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai 201306, PR China
| | - Guangbao Zhang
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, No 999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai 201306, PR China
| | - Jie Ma
- Research Center for Environmental Functional Materials, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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3
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Short-Term Microplastic Exposure Impairs Cognition in Hermit Crabs. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13061055. [PMID: 36978596 PMCID: PMC10044271 DOI: 10.3390/ani13061055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
We tested whether acute microplastic exposure impacts information gathering and processing (cognition) in hermit crabs (Pagurus bernhardus). For five days, we kept 51 hermit crabs in tanks containing either polyethylene microspheres (n = 27) or no plastic (n = 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.
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Zhang S, Wu H, Hou J. Progress on the Effects of Microplastics on Aquatic Crustaceans: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065523. [PMID: 36982596 PMCID: PMC10052122 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
It is impossible to overlook the effects of microplastics on aquatic life as they continuously accumulate in aquatic environments. Aquatic crustaceans, as both predator and prey, play an important role in the food web and energy transmission. It is of great practical significance to pay attention to the toxic effects of microplastics on aquatic crustaceans. This review finds that most studies have shown that microplastics negatively affect the life history, behaviors and physiological functions of aquatic crustaceans under experimental conditions. The effects of microplastics of different sizes, shapes or types on aquatic crustaceans are different. Generally, smaller microplastics have more negative effects on aquatic crustaceans. Irregular microplastics have more negative effects on aquatic crustaceans than regular microplastics. When microplastics co-exist with other contaminants, they have a greater negative impact on aquatic crustaceans than single contaminants. This review contributes to rapidly understanding the effects of microplastics on aquatic crustaceans, providing a basic framework for the ecological threat of microplastics to aquatic crustaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jing Hou
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-10-6177-2864
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Huang L, Zhang W, Zhou W, Chen L, Liu G, Shi W. Behaviour, a potential bioindicator for toxicity analysis of waterborne microplastics: A review. Trends Analyt Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2023.117044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
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Burciaga LM, Alcaraz G. Metabolic and behavioural effects of hermit crab shell removal techniques: Is heating less invasive than cracking? Anim Welf 2023; 32:e24. [PMID: 38487407 PMCID: PMC10936351 DOI: 10.1017/awf.2023.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Hermit crabs (Paguroidea; Latreille 1802) offer great opportunities to study animal behaviour and physiology. However, the animals' size and sex cannot be determined when they are inside their shell; information crucial to many experimental designs. Here, we tested the effects of the two most common procedures used to make crabs leave their shells: heating the shell apex and cracking the shell with a bench press. We compared the effects of each of the two procedures on the metabolic rate, hiding time, and duration of the recovery time relative to unmanipulated hermit crabs. The hermit crabs forced to abandon their shell through heating increased their respiratory rate shortly after the manipulation (1 h) and recovered their metabolic rate in less than 24 h, as occurs in individuals suddenly exposed to high temperatures in the upper-intertidal zone. Hermit crabs removed from their shells via cracking spent more time hiding in their new shells; this effect was evident immediately after the manipulation and lasted more than 24 h, similar to responses exhibited after a life-threatening predator attack. Both methods are expected to be stressful, harmful, or fear-inducing; however, the temperature required to force the crabs to abandon the shell is below the critical thermal maxima of most inhabitants of tropical tide pools. The wide thermal windows of intertidal crustaceans and the shorter duration of consequences of shell heating compared to cracking suggest heating to be a less harmful procedure for removing tropical hermit crabs from their shells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Burciaga
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México04510, México
| | - Guillermina Alcaraz
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México04510, México
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McDaid A, Cunningham EM, Crump A, Hardiman G, Arnott G. Does microplastic exposure and sex influence shell selection and motivation in the common European hermit crab, Pagurus bernhardus? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 855:158576. [PMID: 36084772 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (<5 mm) are a threat to marine biodiversity however their effects on animal cognition and behaviour are unclear. We investigated whether microplastic exposure affects shell selection behaviour and motivation in the common European hermit crab, Pagurus bernhardus. Subjects were maintained for 5 days in tanks containing either: polyethylene microplastic spheres (n = 40), or no plastic (n = 40). They were then placed in low-quality shells and presented with an alternative high-quality shell. When they first touched the high-quality shell, the hermit crabs were startled using visual and aural stimuli. We recorded the post-startle latency to re-contact the high-quality shell, quantifying motivation to explore and acquire a better shell. Plastic-exposed females were more likely to select the high-quality shell than control females. As hypothesised, female hermit crabs had longer initial contact latencies, startle durations, and shell entry latencies than males. We also found an interaction effect on shell investigation duration: females from the control treatment spent longer investigating the high-quality shell compared to males. This was absent in the microplastic treatment with females behaving similar to males. This controlled study serves as a starting point to investigate the effects of microplastics and sex differences on behaviour when under predatory threat, and demonstrated sex dependent sensitivity to an environmental pollutant of global concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alix McDaid
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK.
| | - Eoghan M Cunningham
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Andrew Crump
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK; Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UK
| | - Gary Hardiman
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Gareth Arnott
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
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Joyce PWS, Falkenberg LJ. Microplastics, both non-biodegradable and biodegradable, do not affect the whole organism functioning of a marine mussel. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:156204. [PMID: 35623533 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are ubiquitous in the marine environment, and their uptake by many organisms has been well documented. Concern about increasing plastic waste in ecosystems and organisms has led to the production of biodegradable alternatives. However, long breakdown times of biodegradable plastics in natural environments mean they still have the potential to induce ecological impacts. The impacts of microplastics on organisms remain unclear, especially as many experimental microplastic exposures employ particle concentrations orders of magnitude greater than those found in natural ecosystems. Here, we exposed the ecosystem engineer, the Asian green mussel Perna viridis, to non-biodegradable and biodegradable microplastics at two environmentally relevant concentrations (~17-20 particles L-1 and ~ 135-140 particles L-1). After four weeks of exposure, there were no significant effects of microplastic type or concentration on the mortality, oxygen consumption rate, clearance rate, or condition index of P. viridis. With the increasing body of microplastic literature, future exposure studies considering biotic effects should make efforts to employ environmentally relevant concentrations. Further, we suggest that, while a high-profile threat to ecosystems, investigating the effects of microplastics on ecosystems should be conducted alongside, and not draw focus away from, other major threats such as climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick W S Joyce
- Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Laura J Falkenberg
- Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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9
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D'Costa AH. Microplastics in decapod crustaceans: Accumulation, toxicity and impacts, a review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:154963. [PMID: 35367539 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The presence of microplastics in the aquatic environment poses a serious threat not only to aquatic organisms but also to human beings that consume them. The uptake and effects of microplastics have been studied in almost all groups of aquatic organisms. This review details the different aspects of microplastics exposure in an ecologically and economically important group of crustaceans, the Decapods. A majority of Decapod crustaceans such as prawns, shrimp, crabs, lobsters and crayfish are consumed as seafood and play important roles in food chains and food webs. Numerous studies are available on the accumulation of microplastics in tissues such as the gills, hepatopancreas and gastrointestinal tract in these organisms. Experimental studies have also highlighted the toxic effects of microplastics such as oxidative stress, immunotoxicity and reproductive and developmental toxicity in them. This review also summarizes the ecological impacts and implications in human beings as well as lacunae with regard to microplastic uptake in Decapods.
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Liu X, Yang H, Yan X, Xu S, Fan Y, Xu H, Ma Y, Hou W, Javed R, Zhang Y. Co-exposure of polystyrene microplastics and iron aggravates cognitive decline in aging mice via ferroptosis induction. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 233:113342. [PMID: 35228028 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of co-exposure of iron and microplastics (MPs) on the cognitive function of aged humans and animals. It was already known that individual iron or MPs exposure can initiate potential neurotoxicity. However, the combined effect of MPs and iron remained to be elucidated. In this study, the toxicity of iron, MPs, co-treatment of MPs & iron, and the underlying mechanisms were evaluated in vivo. Our findings suggest that 5 µm MPs could enter the aging mice brain and accumulate in cortex and hippocampus. In addition, MPs and iron have a good binding ability, therefore, co-exposure of MPs & iron cause significant iron overload and cognitive deficits as compared to control and individual treatments of iron and MPs. Moreover, the lipid peroxidation and inflammation, which are involved in ferroptosis, get significantly elevated by co-exposure of iron and MPs. Taken together, our results provide compelling evidence that co-exposure of iron and MPs could aggravate the cognitive impairment via disturbing brain iron homeostasis and inducing ferroptosis in cognitive-related brain areas, what's more, the results warn that MPs may act as vectors of pollutants (mostly heavy metals) increasing the health burden on body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiu Liu
- The First Clinical College, China Medical University, 77 Puhe Avenue, Shenbei New District, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Hekai Yang
- The First Clinical College, China Medical University, 77 Puhe Avenue, Shenbei New District, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Xinzhu Yan
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Intelligent Medicine, China Medical University, 77 Puhe Avenue, Shenbei New District, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Shuangfeng Xu
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, No.195, Chuangxin Road, Hunnan District, Shenyang 110169, China
| | - Yonggang Fan
- Institute of Health Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - He Xu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, 1066 Xueyuan Road, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yue Ma
- Institute of Health Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Weijian Hou
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Intelligent Medicine, China Medical University, 77 Puhe Avenue, Shenbei New District, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Rabia Javed
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Intelligent Medicine, China Medical University, 77 Puhe Avenue, Shenbei New District, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Yanhui Zhang
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Intelligent Medicine, China Medical University, 77 Puhe Avenue, Shenbei New District, Shenyang 110122, China.
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Cunningham EM, Mundye A, Kregting L, Dick JTA, Crump A, Riddell G, Arnott G. Animal contests and microplastics: evidence of disrupted behaviour in hermit crabs Pagurus bernhardus. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:211089. [PMID: 34659782 PMCID: PMC8511743 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are ubiquitous in global marine systems and may have negative impacts on a vast range of species. Recently, microplastics were shown to impair shell selection assessments in hermit crabs, an essential behaviour for their survival. Hermit crabs also engage in 'rapping' contests over shells, based on cognitive assessments of shell quality and opponent fighting ability and, hence, are a useful model species for examining the effects of microplastics on fitness-relevant behaviour in marine systems. Here, we investigated how a 5-day microplastic exposure (25 microplastics/litre) affected the dynamics and outcome of 120 staged hermit crab contests. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, we examined how microplastics (i.e. presence or absence) and contestant role (i.e. attacker or defender) affected various behavioural variables. Significantly higher raps per bout were needed to evict microplastic-treated defenders when attackers were pre-exposed to control conditions (i.e. no plastic). Also, significantly longer durations of rapping bouts were needed to evict control-treated defenders when attackers were pre-exposed to microplastics. We suggest that microplastics impaired defenders' ability to identify resource holding potential and also affected attackers' rapping strength and intensity during contests. These impacts on animal contests indicate that microplastics have broader deleterious effects on marine biota than currently recognized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eoghan M. Cunningham
- Queen's University Marine Laboratory, Queen's University Belfast, 12–13 The Strand, Portaferry BT22 1PF, Northern Ireland, UK
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Amy Mundye
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Louise Kregting
- Queen's University Marine Laboratory, Queen's University Belfast, 12–13 The Strand, Portaferry BT22 1PF, Northern Ireland, UK
- School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5BN, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Jaimie T. A. Dick
- Queen's University Marine Laboratory, Queen's University Belfast, 12–13 The Strand, Portaferry BT22 1PF, Northern Ireland, UK
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Andrew Crump
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
- Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UK
| | - Gillian Riddell
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Gareth Arnott
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
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