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Plastic pollution in agricultural landscapes: an overlooked threat to pollination, biocontrol and food security
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This synthesis examined the largely unstudied effects of nano/microplastic pollution on pollinators and biocontrol agents—organisms that underpin agricultural productivity—finding evidence of gene expression changes, organ damage, and behavioral modifications at the organismal level. At landscape scales, MPs may amplify synergistic effects with pathogens and alter floral resource distributions, with implications for food security that are only beginning to be quantified.
Ecosystem services such as pollination and biocontrol may be severely affected by emerging nano/micro-plastics (NMP) pollution. Here, we synthesize the little-known effects of NMP on pollinators and biocontrol agents on the organismal, farm and landscape scale. Ingested NMP trigger organismal changes from gene expression, organ damage to behavior modifications. At the farm and landscape level, NMP will likely amplify synergistic effects with other threats such as pathogens, and may alter floral resource distributions in high NMP concentration areas. Understanding exposure pathways of NMP on pollinators and biocontrol agents is critical to evaluate future risks for agricultural ecosystems and food security.
More Papers Like This
Nano/micro-plastics effects in agricultural landscapes: an overlooked threat to pollination, biological pest control, and food security
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This review synthesized evidence on nano/microplastic (NMP) effects on pollinators and biocontrol agents at organismal, farm, and landscape scales, finding that ingested NMP cause gene expression changes, organ damage, and behavioral modifications. The authors identify NMP-polluted 'NMP islands' as potential hotspots that may alter floral resource distributions and amplify synergistic threats with pathogens and antibiotics to agricultural ecosystem services.
Microplastics and Nanoplastics Effects on Plant–Pollinator Interaction and Pollination Biology
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This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics affect the relationship between plants and their pollinators, including bees and other insects. The particles can harm pollinator health, alter plant reproduction, and disrupt the chemical signals that attract pollinators to flowers. Since pollination is essential for food production, microplastic interference with this process could have far-reaching consequences for agriculture and ecosystems.
Pesticides but not microplastics affect pollination in rape seed production in China
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Researchers tested the effects of neonicotinoid pesticides and microplastics, separately and together, on pollination and bee activity in Chinese rapeseed fields. Pesticides significantly reduced bee foraging activity and pollination success, while microplastics alone showed no significant effect, suggesting that agricultural chemical pollution is the dominant driver of pollination service loss in this system.
Exposure Pathways and Toxicity of Microplastics in Terrestrial Insects
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This review summarizes what is known about how land-dwelling insects encounter, consume, and are affected by plastic pollution. Insects can accumulate microplastics and transfer them to animals higher up the food chain, and exposure has been linked to reduced growth, reproduction, and survival. Since insects play critical roles in pollination and soil health, widespread plastic contamination could have cascading effects on ecosystems and agriculture.
The “Plastic Age”: From Endocrine Disruptors to Microplastics – An Emerging Threat to Pollinators
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This review examines the dual threat that plastics pose to pollinators: endocrine-disrupting chemicals used in plastic manufacturing and the physical presence of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment. Researchers highlight that pollinators like bees are exposed to these contaminants through contaminated flowers, soil, and water. The study calls for more research into how plastic-derived pollution may be contributing to pollinator decline worldwide.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.