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Plastic pollution shapes ecosystem response to a storm event in intertidal sediments
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Scientists studying a coastal sandflat found that tiny plastic fibers buried in the sediment changed how the ecosystem responded to a storm, altering oxygen levels and nutrient cycling in ways different from unpolluted areas. This matters because coastal sediments naturally help filter water and cycle nutrients that support healthy oceans and seafood supplies, so as plastic pollution and storms both increase with climate change, these disruptions could ripple through to the food and water systems we depend on.
Plastic pollution is an emerging driver of ecological change in coastal sediments, yet real-world ecosystem responses remain poorly understood. During a two-month in situ experiment on an intertidal sandflat in Mahurangi Harbour, New Zealand, a storm event provided a unique opportunity to test whether plastics modulate ecosystem responses to short-term environmental change. We measured sediment oxygen consumption (SOC), nutrient and N₂ fluxes, pore-water nutrient pools, and sediment organic matter in control and plastic-polluted plots across six time points spanning pre- and post-storm conditions. Plastic pollution was realised through vertical insertion of polyester nettings (6 × 2 cm, 10 µm thick, microplastic) into the sediment. Multivariate analyses revealed an interaction effect between treatment and sampling time indicating that the plastic-polluted sediments reacted differently to the storm. In control plots, the storm reduced SOC (− 24%) and pore-water NH₄⁺ (− 53%), and increased NH₄⁺ efflux (+ 186%) and NOₓ − pools (+ 166%). Compared to the storm response in the controls, the storm impact on plastic plots caused a 43% increase in SOC and a 53% increase in NH₄⁺ efflux, and lower pore-water NOₓ − (− 63%). These results demonstrate that plastics can modulate benthic ecosystem responses to storms, potentially altering nitrogen source–sink dynamics. As both plastic pollution and storm frequency intensify, such interaction effects may have growing consequences for coastal ecosystem functioning.
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Polymer-specific impacts of nanoplastics on sediment bacterial communities and ecosystem functionality in Poyang Lake wetlands
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) from common plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene affect wetland sediment differently depending on the plastic type, one type boosted certain bacteria and nutrients while shrinking others' diversity, and worryingly, one plastic type also encouraged bacteria to develop traits linked to stress resistance and potential harmfulness. This matters because these wetlands help filter water and support ecosystems we rely on, and as plastic pollution keeps building up in the environment, it could disrupt the microbial "workforce" that keeps water systems healthy, with ripple
Can Microplastic Pollution Change Important Aquatic Bacterial Communities?
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Microplastics in coastal sediments can change the composition of important bacterial communities that cycle nutrients and maintain ecosystem health. Microplastic-associated bacteria differ significantly from natural sediment bacteria, with potential consequences for the chemical processes these communities perform.
Interactive effects of drought and microplastic particle size on soil bacterial community structure
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in soil become more harmful to the beneficial bacteria that keep soil healthy when combined with drought conditions. The smallest plastic particles caused the most damage, reducing the diversity of helpful soil bacteria by up to 29% during dry conditions. This matters because healthy soil bacteria are essential for growing nutritious food, and climate change is making both plastic pollution and droughts more common worldwide.
Environmentally aged microplastics alter archaeal and bacterial roles in ammonia oxidation of intertidal soils
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Scientists found that plastic pollution which has been broken down by sun, waves, and time (like the microplastics washing up on beaches and marshes) disrupts the natural process soil microbes use to cycle nitrogen, an essential nutrient for coastal ecosystems. Specifically, aged plastic bits threw off the balance between two types of nitrogen-processing microbes, slowing down the overall process by nearly a third. This matters because these coastal wetlands act as natural filters and buffers for our environment, and if microplastics are quietly disrupting the microbes that keep them healthy, it could have ripple effects on water qu
The Effect of Microplastics on Soil Microbial Activity, Biomass, and Microbial Community Structure in Three Types of Temperate Forest
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in forest soil can shift the balance of microorganisms living there, favoring bacteria over fungi and reducing the total amount of microbial life when the plastic pieces are especially small. Since these soil microbes play a key role in breaking down nutrients and keeping forest ecosystems healthy, this suggests that widespread microplastic pollution could quietly disrupt the natural systems that support clean soil, water, and the food chain we ultimately depend on.
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