- Scientists have discovered that *Belgica antarctica*, Antarctica's only native insect, is ingesting microplastics in the wild. As reported by ScienceDaily, this highlights that even the most isolated ecosystems are not immune to plastic pollution.
- While lab tests showed the larvae could survive short-term exposure to microplastics without obvious harm.
- However, those exposed to higher plastic levels exhibited reduced fat reserves, indicating potential hidden energy costs, a finding also noted by the British Antarctic Survey.
- This discovery underscores the pervasive nature of plastic pollution, reaching even the remote Antarctic continent.
- The research, which involved an international team led by the University of Kentucky, confirms the presence of plastic particles inside wild-caught midges, as highlighted by SSBCrack News.
Antarctica's Insect Ingests Microplastics
Antarctica's only native insect, *Belgica antarctica*, has been discovered ingesting microplastics in the wild, a stark revelation that even the planet's most isolated ecosystems are not immune to pervasive plastic pollution. Although lab tests showed short-term survival, higher microplastic exposure led to reduced fat reserves in the larvae, indicating potential hidden energy costs and underscoring the far-reaching impact of human waste.
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