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Effects of microplastics on bacterial communities in lake wetland sediments: a comparison between drought and flooded conditions
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Researchers established a sediment microcosm system for Poyang Lake wetland and examined the effects of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on bacterial community structure, functional genes, and ecological processes over 180 days under both simulated drought and flooded conditions.
Under the backdrop of increasingly frequent wetland alternation between dry and wet conditions driven by global climate change, the differential impact mechanisms of microplastics (MPs) on microbial communities under drought and flooding conditions remain insufficiently characterized. This study established a sediment microcosm experimental system for Poyang Lake wetland to systematically analyze the regulatory effects of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) microplastics on sediment bacterial community structure, functional genes, and ecological processes over 180 days under simulated drought and flooded conditions. The results demonstrated that microplastics significantly enhanced the richness (Chao1 index +95.9 %) and diversity (Shannon index +61.6 %) of sediment bacterial communities, with a more pronounced promoting effect under flooded conditions (η = 0.36). Furthermore, PE exhibited a more pronounced influence on community structure than PP, particularly under drought conditions. Under flooding microplastics upregulated nitrogen and sulfur cycling functional genes by enriching Nitrospira and Desulfatiglans, but concurrently increased the abundance of potential pathogenic bacteria (p < 0.001). Under drought conditions, Streptomyces emerged as the core genus, driving the expression of carbon metabolism genes (rho >0.56) and enhancing stress resistance. Null model analysis revealed that bacterial community succession was primarily driven by deterministic processes (contribution rate >51.3 %), while MPs restructured ecological niche by significantly reducing ammonium nitrogen (-14.35 %),and nitrate nitrogen (-13.64 %), while regulating pH and organic carbon levels. This study provides insights into the specific risks associated with "plasticosphere" formation under flooded and drought conditions: flooded conditions may exacerbate pathogen dissemination and metabolic dysregulation, whereas drought promotes carbon sequestration. Based on these findings, a hierarchical governance strategy is proposed, offering new insights for wetland ecological restoration.
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[Distribution Characteristics of Microplastic Surface Bacterial Communities Under Flooded and Non-flooded Conditions in Nanjishan Wetland of Poyang Lake].
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A 16S sequencing study of bacterial communities in the Poyang Lake wetland found that microbial diversity on microplastic surfaces was lower than in surrounding sediment and water, with the microplastic biofilm community shifting between sediment-like (non-flooded) and water-like (flooded) profiles depending on water level. The plastisphere communities were dominated by distinct bacterial genera including elevated Proteobacteria, suggesting that microplastics select for specific microbial assemblages in natural wetland ecosystems.
Bacterial community structure of water, sediment and microplastics in Poyang Lake wetland.
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This study compared the bacterial communities living on four types of microplastics (film, foam, fiber, and fragment) in Poyang Lake wetland in China against the bacterial communities in the surrounding water and sediment. The microplastic surfaces hosted distinct microbial communities that differed from both the water and sediment, with foam microplastics supporting the least diverse communities. This "plastisphere" research is important because the unique bacteria colonizing plastic surfaces could spread pathogens or alter nutrient cycles in freshwater wetland ecosystems.
Effects of microplastics on the structure and function of bacterial communities in sediments of a freshwater lake
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Researchers examined how microplastics alter the structure and function of bacterial communities in sediments, finding that plastic exposure shifted community composition and reduced overall diversity compared to plastic-free controls. Functional analysis showed impaired denitrification and organic matter decomposition in microplastic-contaminated sediments, indicating ecosystem-level consequences for nutrient cycling.
Impact of Microplastics on Microbial Community Composition and Diversity in Surface Flow Constructed Wetland Sediments
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A study of conventional PVC and biodegradable PLA microplastics in constructed wetland sediments found both types altered microbial diversity and community composition, with PVC enriching denitrifying bacteria and PLA promoting methanogenic pathways at concentrations as low as 1%. These microbial shifts in wetland sediments could disrupt nitrogen and carbon cycling in ecosystems that serve as critical water quality filters.
Polymer-specific impacts of nanoplastics on sediment bacterial communities and ecosystem functionality in Poyang Lake wetlands
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) from common plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene affect wetland sediment differently depending on the plastic type, one type boosted certain bacteria and nutrients while shrinking others' diversity, and worryingly, one plastic type also encouraged bacteria to develop traits linked to stress resistance and potential harmfulness. This matters because these wetlands help filter water and support ecosystems we rely on, and as plastic pollution keeps building up in the environment, it could disrupt the microbial "workforce" that keeps water systems healthy, with ripple
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