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Microplastic in terrestrial ecosystems
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This study highlights a shift in microplastic research from focusing on toxic effects in individual organisms to understanding broader ecosystem-level impacts on land. Researchers emphasize that microplastics in soil environments can affect nutrient cycling, soil structure, and biological communities in ways that may feed back into larger Earth system processes. The study calls for expanding terrestrial microplastic research beyond laboratory toxicity tests to real-world ecological investigations.
Research shifts from ecotoxicology to ecosystem effects and Earth system feedbacks
More Papers Like This
Microplastic in Terrestrial Ecosystems and the Soil?
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This review examined the occurrence and behavior of microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems and soils, questioning how particles move through and accumulate in soils and calling for more research on land-based microplastic impacts.
Recent advances on ecological effects of microplastics on soil environment
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This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the ecological effects of microplastics on soil environments. Researchers found that soils serve as major sinks for microplastics, which can alter soil properties, affect plant growth, disrupt soil microbial communities, and interact with other pollutants. The study highlights that terrestrial microplastic pollution may be even more pervasive than aquatic contamination and warrants greater research attention.
Towards an ecology of soil microplastics
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This perspective paper calls for greater research attention on microplastic pollution in soils, arguing that terrestrial ecosystems may be even more contaminated than aquatic ones but have received far less scientific scrutiny. The authors outline research priorities for understanding microplastic behavior, ecological effects, and food web implications in soil environments.
Microplastics in terrestrial environments: Reviewing current understanding to determine the positive and negative aspects of soil
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This review examines microplastics in terrestrial soils, covering their sources, distribution, and effects on soil health and organisms. It finds both negative impacts on soil function and organisms, as well as some neutral or context-dependent effects, and identifies key areas for future research.
Effects of microplastics on the terrestrial environment: A critical review
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This review summarizes what is known about microplastic contamination in land-based environments, covering sources, fate, and effects on soil and the organisms that depend on it. Microplastics in soil can interact with pesticides, heavy metals, and other pollutants, acting as carriers that move toxins through the food web and potentially up to humans. The authors note that compared to ocean research, the effects of microplastics on land ecosystems are much less studied and urgently need more attention.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.