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Microplastic and soil protists: A call for research
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This perspective piece calls for research on the effects of microplastics on soil protists — single-celled organisms that play key roles in soil food webs — noting that this group has been completely overlooked in microplastic ecotoxicology studies. The paper argues that understanding protist responses is essential for a complete picture of how microplastic pollution affects soil ecosystem function.
Microplastic is an emerging contaminant of concern in soils globally, probably gradually increasing in soil due to slow degradation. Few studies on microplastic effects on soil biota are available, and no study in a microplastic contamination context has specifically addressed soil protists. Soil protists, a phylogenetically and functionally diverse group of eukaryotic, unicellular soil organisms, are major consumers of bacteria in soils and are potentially important vehicles for the delivery of microplastics into the soil food chain. Here we build a case for focusing research on soil protists by drawing on data from previous, older studies of phagocytosis in protist taxa, which have long made use of polystyrene latex beads (microspheres). Various soil-borne taxa, including ciliates, flagellates and amoebae take up microplastic beads in the size range of a few micrometers. This included filter feeders as well as amoebae which engulf their prey. Discrimination in microplastic particle uptake depended on species, physiological state as well as particle size. Based on the results of the studies we review here, there is now a need to study microplastic effects in a pollution ecology context: this means considering a broad range of particle types under realistic conditions in the soil, and exploring longer-term effects on soil protist communities and functions.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics and phagotrophic soil protists: evidence of ingestion
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Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic interactions with phagotrophic soil protists, finding that these single-celled organisms can actively ingest microplastic particles. This matters because soil protists are key players in the soil food web and their exposure to microplastics could disrupt soil ecosystem functioning.
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 and phagotrophic soil protists: evidence of ingestion
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This is a bibliographic citation for a published study demonstrating that phagotrophic soil protists (single-celled organisms that feed by engulfing particles) can ingest microplastics in soil. It is a citation record rather than a full summary.
The forgotten impacts of plastic contamination on terrestrial micro- and mesofauna: A call for research
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This review highlights the overlooked impact of microplastics on tiny soil organisms like mites, springtails, and nematodes that play critical roles in keeping soil ecosystems healthy. Ingesting microplastics can harm their development and reproduction, which disrupts nutrient cycling and soil food webs. Since these organisms help maintain the soil that grows our food, their decline from plastic pollution could have cascading effects on agriculture and human nutrition.
Soil microplastics: we need to pay more attention
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This perspective piece argues that soil microplastics deserve greater research attention, noting that soils may act as major reservoirs for microplastic accumulation with significant but understudied consequences for terrestrial ecosystems and human health.
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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.