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Vegetation, salinity, and tides drive nitrogen cycling in Mangrove plastispheres
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Researchers studied how microplastics affect nitrogen-cycling microbial communities in mangrove ecosystems under varying salinity and tidal conditions. They found that microplastic surfaces hosted distinct microbial communities with significantly higher abundances of nitrogen-cycling genes compared to surrounding soils. The study suggests that microplastics may act as hotspots for nitrogen transformation in mangrove environments, potentially disrupting natural nutrient cycling.
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants in mangrove ecosystems, with significant implications for microbial communities and nitrogen (N) cycling. However, the ecological processes shaping MP-associated microbial assemblages across environmental gradients remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted in situ and microcosm experiments to investigate microbial community composition and N-cycling gene abundance on three MP types-polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-across salinity gradients (0-30 ppt) and under simulated tidal fluctuations over 35 days. High-throughput sequencing revealed distinct microbial communities on MPs compared to surrounding soils, dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Bacterial diversity in PE and PS peaked at moderate salinity (10 ppt), while PVC-associated diversity declined with salinity. Structural equation modeling showed that salinity directly and indirectly influenced MP-associated diversity via soil microbial communities. During tidal cycling, microbial diversity on MPs increased over time, contrasting with declining diversity in soils. PS biofilms exhibited the fastest community turnover (R² = 0.79). MPs harbored significantly higher abundances of 15 N-cycling genes (except hao) than soils (P < 0.05), with PS and PE supporting the highest gene levels under salinity gradients and tidal exposure. Denitrification and nitrification gene abundances peaked at intermediate salinity (20 ppt) and day 14 of tidal simulation, respectively. These findings demonstrate that MP type, vegetation, salinity, and hydrological dynamics jointly regulate plastisphere development and microbial N cycling, highlighting the multifaceted ecological impacts of MPs in mangrove ecosystems.
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In a lab experiment simulating mangrove wetland sediments, microplastics altered nutrient cycling by intensifying nitrogen limitation, which changed how microbes processed nitrogen. While focused on environmental impacts, this matters because mangrove ecosystems are important coastal filters, and disrupting their nutrient cycles could affect downstream water quality and the health of seafood that humans consume.
Effects of Microplastics on Microbial Community in Zhanjiang Mangrove Sediments
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Researchers found that microplastics in mangrove sediments from Zhanjiang, China, altered the diversity and composition of microbial communities and may affect nitrogen cycling processes such as nitrification.
Unveiling microplastic's role in nitrogen cycling: Metagenomic insights from estuarine sediment microcosms
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Researchers used metagenomic analysis to examine how polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics affect nitrogen cycling in estuarine sediments. They found that microplastics altered the abundance of genes involved in key nitrogen transformation processes like nitrification and denitrification. The study reveals that microplastic pollution in estuaries may disrupt important biogeochemical cycles that support aquatic ecosystem health.
Microplastic biofilms as potential hotspots for plastic biodegradation and nitrogen cycling: a metagenomic perspective
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Researchers used genetic analysis to study the microbial communities that form biofilms on different types of microplastics in an estuarine environment. They found that these plastic-associated communities contained genes for both plastic degradation and nitrogen cycling, suggesting the biofilms may play dual roles in the ecosystem. The study indicates that microplastic surfaces in waterways create unique microbial habitats that could influence both pollution breakdown and nutrient processing.
A review on microplastic pollution in the mangrove wetlands and microbial strategies for its remediation
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Researchers reviewed the growing problem of microplastic pollution in mangrove wetland ecosystems and its effects on the biological communities that depend on these habitats. They found that microplastic exposure can substantially alter the microbial communities critical to nutrient cycling in mangrove environments. The review also explores microbial bioremediation strategies as a sustainable approach to addressing plastic pollution in these threatened coastal ecosystems.
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