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Effects of plastics on terrestrial wildlife
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This review pulls together existing research on how plastic pollution affects land animals — through eating it, getting tangled in it, or even building it into nests and burrows — and finds we know far less about this than we do about plastic's impact on ocean life. That's a problem because land animals are part of the same food chains and environments we live in, so understanding how plastic builds up and harms wildlife on land can offer early clues about risks that may eventually apply to us too. The takeaway: plastic pollution isn't just an ocean issue, and scientists need to catch up on studying its effects closer to home.
Global plastic production continues to rise at a rapid pace and, combined with inadequate waste management, has become a growing threat to wildlife. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the main sources, types, and characteristics of plastic debris in terrestrial environments, including its persistence, degradation, and distribution in natural and human-modified landscapes. Furthermore, we examine the main pathways of interaction between terrestrial vertebrates and plastic pollution, such as ingestion, entanglement, and the incorporation of synthetic materials into nests, burrows, and shelters. We then assess the consequences of these interactions at multiple levels of biological organization, including physical, chemical, and behavioural effects, as well as their potential ecological implications for population dynamics, trophic interactions, and habitat use. Despite growing global attention to plastic pollution, our results reveal a marked research bias towards marine systems. A literature review based on Web of Science revealed a notably smaller number of studies on terrestrial vertebrates compared to marine and coastal species, highlighting a significant knowledge gap. Overall, this review underscores the need for more comprehensive and integrative research to better understand the impacts of plastic pollution on terrestrial biota and ecosystem functioning, particularly in scenarios of chronic exposure and increasing environmental accumulation.
More Papers Like This
Effects of plastics on terrestrial wildlife
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together existing research on how plastic pollution affects land animals—through eating it, getting tangled in it, or even building it into their nests and burrows—and finds we know far less about this than we do about plastic's impact on ocean life. That's a problem because land animals (and the plants and food chains they're part of) are quietly absorbing plastic pollution too, and since humans share these same environments and food sources, the gaps in this research mean we're likely underestimating how much plastic exposure affects the world around us, including us.
Effects of plastics on terrestrial wildlife
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together existing research on how plastic pollution affects land animals—not just ocean creatures—through things like eating plastic debris, getting tangled in it, or using it to build nests and burrows. The big takeaway: scientists have studied plastic's harm to marine life far more than to land animals, leaving a major blind spot in understanding how chronic plastic exposure builds up in the ecosystems we share with wildlife. Since these same land environments feed into our food and water supplies, closing this research gap matters for understanding our own long-term exposure to plastic pollution too.
Hazardous effects of plastic wastes on land biodiversity: A review
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This review highlights the underexplored hazardous effects of plastic waste on terrestrial biodiversity, noting that most research has focused on marine environments while land-based organisms face significant threats from plastic contamination of soils and habitats.
The Detrimental Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Wildlife
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This review examines the harmful effects of plastic pollution on wildlife across marine, coastal, and terrestrial habitats, including entanglement, ingestion, and chemical exposure. Researchers found that over 2,000 species are affected by plastic debris, with microplastics presenting a particular concern because they can accumulate toxic chemicals and enter food chains. The study calls for stronger policy measures and public awareness to reduce plastic waste and protect biodiversity.
Microplastic pollution in soils, plants, and animals: A review of distributions, effects and potential mechanisms
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This review covers the distribution and effects of microplastics in soils, plants, and animals, examining how plastic pollution moves through terrestrial ecosystems. Microplastics in soil can alter microbial communities, reduce plant growth, and accumulate in animals that ingest contaminated food or water. The review highlights that land-based microplastic pollution is as serious a concern as ocean contamination and poses direct risks to agriculture and human food safety.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.