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Multi-diversity dominates the response of ecosystem multifunctionality and stability to biogeochemical materials that exceed planetary boundaries
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Researchers examined how microplastic contamination combined with nitrogen deposition affects ecosystem multifunctionality and stability in coastal saline-alkali wetlands. They found that the interaction between microplastics and nitrogen actually enhanced ecosystem multifunctionality, driven by increased biodiversity and complementary interactions within plant communities. The study reveals that the cascading effects of these pollutants on soil nutrients and enzyme activities play a pivotal role in shaping wetland ecosystem responses.
Microplastic contamination and nutrient deposition have exceeded planetary boundaries, posing significant long-term risks to coastal saline-alkali wetland ecosystems. While most studies focus on the effects of individual stressors, such as microplastics or nutrients, the combined impacts of multiple stressors remain underexplored. In this study, we examined the effects of the microplastome-comprising various microplastics and their associated substances-along with nutrient deposition on plant communities, ecological efficiency, ecosystem multifunctionality, and stability in coastal wetlands. Our results demonstrate that interactions between the microplastome and nitrogen (N) deposition significantly enhance ecosystem multifunctionality. Furthermore, elevated microplastic contamination combined with N deposition improved ecosystem stability and increased plant community sensitivity to stressors. These changes were primarily driven by increased biodiversity and complementary interactions within the community. Random forest analysis and structural equation modeling revealed that the cascading effects of microplastic pollution and nutrient deposition-particularly on soil nutrients, fertility, and enzyme activities-were pivotal in driving shifts in ecosystem multifunctionality and stability. This study advances our understanding of the integrated impacts of biodiversity and multiple anthropogenic stressors, underscoring their role in shaping the multifunctionality and stability of coastal saline-alkali wetland ecosystems.
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Researchers conducted a glasshouse experiment examining how microplastic pollution interacts with drought to affect plant biomass production across a gradient of plant diversity, finding that microplastics influenced the positive biodiversity-productivity relationship. The study reveals that microplastic pollution is a novel stressor that interacts with drought to affect terrestrial ecosystem functionality in ways not predictable from single-factor experiments.
Nitrogen and phosphorus addition mitigates microplastic community impacts on coastal saline-alkaline wetland ecosystems
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Researchers examined whether nitrogen and phosphorus addition could mitigate the negative effects of a multi-polymer, multi-size microplastic community on coastal saline-alkaline wetland ecosystems. They found that nutrient addition partially counteracted microplastic-induced disruption of ecosystem functions, suggesting that nutrient dynamics play a role in modulating ecosystem vulnerability to microplastic contamination.
Nitrogen deposition modulates invasibility and stability of plant communities in microplastic-contaminated wetlands
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A greenhouse experiment found that polyethylene microplastics combined with nitrogen deposition reduced morphological traits of invaded wetland plant communities, altering competitive dynamics between invasive and native plants.
Effects of Microplastics and Drought on Ecosystem Functions and Multifunctionality
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Researchers found that microplastics in soil reduced several ecosystem functions including litter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil aggregate stability, and that drought further amplified these negative effects. The interaction between microplastic pollution and drought is especially concerning given increasing climate extremes.
Microplastics Boost Soil Multifunctionality via Enhancing Competitive Co‐Occurrence of Bacterial Communities in Drylands
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A two-year field experiment in dryland soils investigated how microplastics of different morphologies and concentrations affect soil ecosystem multifunctionality by altering bacterial community dynamics. Microplastics generally increased competitive co-occurrence among bacteria, which unexpectedly boosted ecosystem multifunctionality, though the mechanisms varied by morphology and concentration.
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