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Effects of plastic fragments on plant performance are mediated by soil properties and drought
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Researchers found that plastic fragments reduced soil water content and negatively affected Arabidopsis thaliana growth, with effects most pronounced under drought conditions and dependent on soil texture, suggesting plastic pollution and water stress interact to compound harm to plants.
In recent years, the effects of plastic contamination on soil and plants have received growing attention. Plastic can affect soil water content and thus may interact with the effects of drought on soil and plants. However, the effects of plastic on soil are highly context-dependent, and interactions with drought have been hardly tested. We conducted two greenhouse experiments to test the combined effects of plastic fragments (of varying size and concentration), water availability and soil texture, on soil water content and performance of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Plastic fragments had stronger negative effects on soil water content in low water availability, and the shape of this response (linear vs. unimodal) was mediated by soil texture. Conversely, increasing concentration of plastic had positive effects on plant growth. We suggest that plastic fragments introduce fracture points within soil aggregates. This increases number and size of soil pores favoring water loss but also facilitating root growth. Our results suggest complex interactive effects of plastic and drought, that may lead to a decoupling of plant and soil response. These processes should be taken into account in ecological studies and agricultural practices.
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Effects of plastic fragment size and concentration on plant performance are mediated by soil properties and water availability
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Researchers investigated how plastic fragment size and concentration in soil affect plant performance under different water availability conditions. They found that plastic size and concentration interacted with drought stress to influence soil water content and plant growth, with implications for agricultural soils under climate change.
Effects of polyethylene microplastics on the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana & Phaseolus vulgaris and their soil
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Researchers exposed the plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Phaseolus vulgaris to polyethylene microplastics at different concentrations and found effects on plant growth and soil microbial communities. The study contributes to a limited but growing body of evidence on how microplastic pollution in agricultural soils may affect crop plants and soil health.
Microplastic shape, concentration and polymer type affect soil properties and plant biomass
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Experiments showed that microplastic shape, concentration, and polymer type all influence soil physical properties and plant biomass, with certain types reducing plant growth. The findings highlight that the wide variety of plastic particle types entering soils creates complex and variable ecological risks.
Ecotoxicological effects of plastics on plants, soil fauna and microorganisms: A meta-analysis
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Meta-analysis of 2,936 observations from 140 studies found that plastics caused substantial detrimental effects to plants and soil fauna, but had less impact on microbial diversity. Larger plastics (>1 um) impaired plant growth and germination while nanoplastics primarily increased oxidative stress, and soil fauna reproduction and survival were more adversely affected by smaller particles.
Effects of Microplastic Fibers and Drought on Plant Communities
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Researchers added microplastic fibers to plant communities and applied drought stress, finding that microfibers reduced total community productivity and shifted species composition, with combined microplastic-drought stress causing greater harm than either factor alone.
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.