Microplastics Drive Life-Stage-Dependent Trade-Offs between Growth and Asexual Proliferation of an Arid Desert Moss Bryum Argenteum by Modifying Soil Microenvironments

The Impact of Microplastics on Bryum argenteum in Arid Sandy Regions

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Microplastics were found to significantly alter soil moisture, salt levels, and nutrient content in arid sandy soils, with knock-on effects on the growth and reproduction of Bryum argenteum, a common desert moss. This matters because mosses are often the first colonizers of degraded land, and disrupting their biology could slow ecosystem recovery in regions already stressed by drought and desertification.

The Impact of Microplastics on Bryum argenteum in Arid Sandy Regions

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Microplastics were found to significantly alter soil moisture, salt levels, and nutrient content in arid sandy soils, with knock-on effects on the growth and reproduction of Bryum argenteum, a common desert moss. This matters because mosses are often the first colonizers of degraded land, and disrupting their biology could slow ecosystem recovery in regions already stressed by drought and desertification.

Soil Microplastic Pollution Enhances Plant Invasions by Restructuring Native – Invasive Competitive Interactions

Microplastics in Plant Species: Impacts and Ecological Perspectives

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This analysis examined how microplastics affect plant physiology in terrestrial ecosystems, including uptake through roots, translocation into edible tissues, disruption of photosynthesis, and alteration of soil microbial communities that plants depend on. Because many staple crops can absorb and accumulate microplastics from contaminated soil and irrigation water, agricultural microplastic pollution translates directly into human dietary exposure through fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Microplastic Pollution in Terrestrial Systems: Sources and Implications for Soil Functioning and Plant Performance

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Researchers reviewed how microplastics enter terrestrial ecosystems through atmospheric deposition, irrigation, and agricultural mulching and found they reduce soil moisture, disrupt microbial communities, impair nutrient cycling, and harm earthworms — collectively threatening soil health and plant performance in agricultural and natural systems.