The Paradoxical Toxicity of Microplastics under Predation Risk: The Driving Role of Gut Microbiota-Mediated Tolerance

Accurate predictions of the ecological risks of microplastics require understanding of their interplay with natural stressors. Here, we revealed that predation risk fundamentally altered the microplastics ecotoxicity on the keystone species Daphnia magna. The microplastics alone were toxic (e.g., reduced growth rate, body size, spine length, and delayed maturity) and became more toxic under predation risk. For instance, the maturation delay at high MP concentrations increased 6.67-fold. P