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Effects of Microplastics on the Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Mulberry
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Researchers exposed mulberry trees to varying concentrations of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics in soil, finding that high concentrations (10% by weight) significantly reduced plant growth and damaged the photosynthetic system while triggering oxidative stress — a type of cellular damage from harmful reactive molecules. The findings show that even biodegradable plastics can harm economically important trees when they accumulate in soil at high levels.
To comprehensively understand the toxic effects and ecological risks of microplastics on major economic tree species, a pot experiment was conducted using polylactic acid (mPLA) microplastics as the test object to explore the effects of different concentrations (0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 5%, 10%, w/w, mass fraction) of microplastics on the growth and physiological characteristics of mulberry trees.The study results showed that, compared with the control group, the biomass, total chlorophyll content, and net photosynthetic rate of mulberry trees in the mPLA treatment group were significantly reduced under high concentration (10%) treatment; the activities of SOD and CAT and the MDA content were significantly increased by 50.00%, 47.83%, and 60.87%, respectively, at a 10% concentration.The results indicate that the toxic effects of microplastic addition on mulberry trees are related to the type and concentration of microplastics.High concentrations of mPLA can damage the photosynthetic system of plants, affecting photosynthesis, causing oxidative damage and thus inhibiting the growth of mulberry plants.
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Uptake and physiological impacts of nanoplastics in trees with divergent water use strategies
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Researchers studied how nanoplastics are taken up by tree roots and whether this uptake affects tree health and function. They found that trees did absorb nanoplastics through their root systems, and the particles caused oxidative stress and reduced photosynthetic capacity. The study suggests that plastic pollution in soil could impair the functioning of trees, which play a critical role in carbon sequestration and ecosystem health.
Unveiling the detrimental effects of polylactic acid microplastics on rice seedlings and soil health
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Researchers found that even biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics significantly harmed rice plants at high concentrations, reducing root and shoot weight by roughly half and disrupting photosynthesis, while also altering soil enzyme activity and bacterial communities. These findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are harmless to agriculture and raise questions about their impact on food crops that humans depend on.
Microplastic-induced alterations in growth and microecology of mulberry seedlings: Implications for sustainable forest–soil systems
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This study found that polyethylene and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics have very different effects on mulberry tree growth and soil microbes. Polyethylene actually stimulated tree growth and boosted soil nitrogen-cycling bacteria, while PLA reduced plant biomass and disrupted soil fungal communities important for nutrient uptake. The contrasting results show that different types of microplastics can have opposite effects on plant-soil systems, complicating predictions about their environmental impact.
Impacts of Various Microplastic Pollutants on the Functional Quality and Phytochemical Profile of Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Leaves
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Microplastics in soil—even "biodegradable" ones—stunted mulberry plant growth while boosting antioxidant compounds like flavonoids in the leaves, and surprisingly, the biodegradable plastic caused more physical damage to roots and leaves than regular plastic. Since mulberry leaves are commonly used in teas and herbal supplements, this suggests that plastic pollution could alter the nutritional makeup of foods we consume, and that "eco-friendly" plastics aren't necessarily safer for crops during their breakdown process.
Microplastics in soil affect the growth and physiological characteristics of Chinese fir and Phoebe bournei seedlings
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Pot experiments with tree seedlings showed that high concentrations of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics in soil suppressed plant growth by reducing chlorophyll levels, weakening antioxidant defenses, and lowering key nutrients in leaves. Lower concentrations of polyethylene actually had some positive effects, suggesting the impacts depend on dose and plastic type. These findings are relevant to understanding how microplastic-contaminated soils could affect forestry and reforestation efforts.
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