Hypothesis: The increasing concentration of microplastics in the marine ecosystem negatively affects the reproductive health of key marine species, leading to declines in population abundance and biodiversity.
Rationale: As plastic waste accumulates in oceanic environments, microplastics are ingested by various marine organisms, including fish and invertebrates. These small plastic particles may disrupt hormonal functions, impair reproductive systems, and reduce fertility rates. This could result in diminished population sizes of affected species, which may have cascading effects on the overall biodiversity and stability of marine ecosystems. Increased absence or decline of certain key species can disrupt food webs and alter ecological balances, potentially leading to further erosion of biodiversity within the marine environment. Future studies could focus on correlating levels of microplastic contamination with reproductive outcomes in specific marine species to test this hypothesis.