Data for Speißer et al. 2026 "Interactive effects of microplastics and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on grassland communities" (http://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.70229)

Summary

Scientists ran a two-year outdoor experiment to see how tiny plastic particles in soil affect grassland plants and their relationship with helpful fungi (called mycorrhiza) that plants rely on for nutrients. This matters because microplastics are piling up in soil worldwide, and understanding how they disrupt plant-fungus partnerships helps us predict effects on food crops, ecosystems, and ultimately the land we depend on for food production. While this study focused on grassland plants rather than human health directly, it's part of a bigger picture: microplastics contaminating soil could ripple through the food chain and affect the environment