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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics reduce eelgrass tolerance to heat stress with implications for restoration and blue carbon
ClearData from: Microplastics reduce eelgrass tolerance to heat stress with implications for restoration and blue carbon
A controlled mesocosm experiment showed that polyethylene/polypropylene microplastics in sediment reduced eelgrass root length by 65% and depleted energy reserves, with combined exposure to microplastics and a marine heatwave producing the most severe damage to below-ground biomass.
Data from: Microplastics reduce eelgrass tolerance to heat stress with implications for restoration and blue carbon
Researchers provided raw experimental data showing that microplastics in sediment reduced eelgrass (Zostera marina) rhizome elongation by 35%, total root length by 65%, and non-structural carbohydrate reserves by 35–40%, with the worst outcomes under combined microplastic and heat stress.
Microplastics threaten seagrass carbon sinks through microbial changes
A 28-day mesocosm experiment found that microplastics threaten seagrass blue carbon ecosystems by altering microbial communities in eelgrass beds, reducing carbon sequestration capacity particularly when combined with nutrient enrichment.
Seagrass under siege: Investigating microplastic effects on seagrass ecosystems
Researchers reviewed the effects of microplastics on seagrass meadows, which are ecologically critical habitats that also trap and accumulate particulate matter. Evidence suggests microplastics can impair seagrass growth, root function, and associated fauna in these vulnerable ecosystems.
Distinct impacts of microplastics on the carbon sequestration capacity of coastal blue carbon ecosystems: A case of seagrass beds
Researchers examined how microplastic pollution affects the ability of seagrass beds to capture and store carbon, a process important for combating climate change. Evidence indicates that microplastics can alter sediment properties, disrupt microbial communities, and inhibit seagrass growth, all of which reduce carbon storage capacity. The study highlights that microplastic contamination may be undermining one of nature's key tools for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Seagrass under siege: Investigating microplastic effects on seagrass ecosystems
Researchers reviewed the current evidence for microplastic effects on seagrass meadows, covering physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms of harm. The review found that microplastics impair seagrass photosynthesis, root function, and associated fauna, threatening these ecologically critical coastal habitats.
Microplastic ingestion decreases energy reserves in marine worms
Researchers exposed marine worms to microplastics and found that ingestion reduced the worms' energy reserves, demonstrating that microplastic ingestion imposes a measurable energetic cost that could affect growth, reproduction, and survival.
The tolerance of a keystone ecosystem engineer to extreme heat stress is hampered by microplastic leachates
Researchers found that chemical substances leaching from microplastics significantly reduced the ability of blue mussels to survive extreme heat stress. At 35 degrees Celsius, mussels exposed to leachates from beached plastic pellets had the lowest survival rates, likely because weathered plastics release more toxic additives. This study shows how microplastic pollution and climate change can interact to threaten key marine species, which has cascading effects on coastal ecosystems that humans depend on.
Combined effects of microplastics contamination and marine heatwaves on carbon cycling in coastal marine sediments
Researchers conducted a 21-day manipulative experiment to test the combined effects of microplastic contamination and simulated marine heatwave conditions on carbon cycling in temperate coastal marine sediments, measuring changes in organic matter quantity, composition, and carbon degradation rates. They found that the simultaneous occurrence of microplastics and elevated temperatures produced distinct effects on sedimentary organic matter processing compared to either stressor alone.
Microplastic pellets do not affect heat stress-induced night-time respiration in the brown alga Fucus serratus
Scientists tested whether tiny plastic particles affect a type of seaweed that lives along coastlines when exposed to heat stress. They found that heat alone stressed the seaweed, but the plastic particles didn't make things worse or cause additional harm. This suggests that these important coastal plants might be more resilient to plastic pollution than expected, which is good news since healthy seaweed ecosystems help protect our coastlines and support marine food webs that humans depend on.
Microplastic pollution associated with reduced respiration in seagrass (Zostera marina L.) and associated epiphytes
Researchers examined how microplastic exposure from polyethylene and polypropylene affects the seagrass Zostera marina and the algae growing on its leaves. They found that microplastics significantly reduced respiration rates in both the seagrass and its associated epiphytes, while photosynthesis was less affected. The study suggests that microplastic pollution could quietly undermine the health of seagrass meadows, which provide critical ecosystem services in coastal waters.
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) and its epiphytic bacteria facilitate the sinking of microplastics in the seawater
Researchers found that eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows and their epiphytic bacteria facilitate the sinking and accumulation of microplastics in seabed sediments, identifying seagrass ecosystems as significant microplastic sinks in coastal marine environments.
Dual regulatory effects of microplastics and heat waves on river microbial carbon metabolism
Researchers found that microplastics inhibited the thermal adaptation of river microbial communities during simulated heat waves, disrupting carbon metabolism processes and suggesting that combined microplastic pollution and climate warming may alter riverine carbon cycling.
The combined effects of ocean warming and microplastic pollution on marine phytoplankton community dynamics
Researchers studied the combined effects of microplastic pollution and rising ocean temperatures on tiny marine plants called phytoplankton. While microplastics alone had minimal impact at current temperatures, when combined with warmer water conditions, phytoplankton biomass dropped by 41% and diversity fell by nearly 39%. The study suggests that climate change may dramatically amplify the harmful effects of microplastic pollution on the ocean organisms responsible for a significant portion of global carbon capture.
Interactive effects of microplastic pollution and heat stress on reef-building corals
Researchers tested the combined effects of microplastic pollution and heat stress on five reef-building coral species in controlled laboratory experiments. They found that while heat stress caused significant bleaching, tissue death, and reduced photosynthetic efficiency, microplastics alone had only minor effects at ambient temperatures, suggesting that climate change remains a far greater threat to coral reefs than microplastic pollution.
Warming coupled with elevated pCO2 modulates microplastic inhibition in a commercial red alga Pyropia haitanensis
Researchers cultured the commercially important red seaweed Pyropia haitanensis under elevated CO₂, warming, and a range of microplastic concentrations, finding that microplastics caused strong concentration-dependent stress on growth and photosynthesis, but that elevated pCO₂ modulated these inhibitory effects.
Early evidence of the impacts of microplastic and nanoplastic pollution on the growth and physiology of the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa
Researchers explored the effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa, which provides important ecosystem services in marine environments. The study found evidence of impacts on seagrass growth and physiology from plastic particle exposure. The findings are significant because seagrass meadows are particularly prone to accumulating plastic debris and are already declining globally due to other anthropogenic stressors.
Interactive effects of microplastic pollution and heat stress on reef-building corals
This study tested the combined effects of microplastic exposure and heat stress on reef-building corals, finding that the combination caused more damage than either stressor alone. As climate change raises ocean temperatures, the simultaneous pressure from plastic pollution may accelerate coral reef decline.
Natural filters of marine microplastic pollution: implications for plants and submerged environments
Researchers reviewed how vegetated ecosystems — like wetlands and marshes — act as natural filters that trap microplastics before they flow into waterways, but found that these trapped particles can still harm soil health and plant growth by causing oxidative stress. The review highlights a critical gap: plants help protect aquatic environments from microplastic pollution while simultaneously being harmed by it themselves.
Survival at a cost: Corals endure microplastic and nanoplastic pollution by sacrificing energy reserves
Researchers exposed two coral species to microplastics and nanoplastics at concentrations comparable to those found in ocean environments and monitored their health over 10 weeks. They found that Stylophora pistillata was highly sensitive, experiencing progressive bleaching, reduced photosynthesis, and significant depletion of energy reserves including lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. While Turbinaria reniformis was more resilient, it still showed reduced photosynthesis and energy loss, indicating that even low concentrations of plastic pollution impose significant physiological costs on corals.
Combined effects of microplastics contamination and marine heatwaves on carbon cycling in coastal marine sediments
Researchers investigated the combined effects of microplastic contamination and marine heatwaves on carbon cycling processes in coastal marine sediments, examining how co-occurring stressors interact to alter microbial carbon processing. The study found that microplastics and elevated temperatures associated with marine heatwaves produced interactive effects on sediment carbon cycling, demonstrating that these two anthropogenic pressures cannot be adequately assessed in isolation.
Warming and microplastic pollution shape the carbon and nitrogen cycles of algae
Researchers investigated how ocean warming combined with microplastic pollution affects carbon and nitrogen cycling in marine diatoms and dinoflagellates, revealing that these combined stressors alter key biochemical processes in dominant phytoplankton species.
Microplastic, an Emerging Threat to the Global Seagrass Ecosystems: A Review
This review examined microplastic pollution as an emerging threat to global seagrass ecosystems, summarizing contamination levels in seagrass meadows worldwide and effects on seagrass physiology, associated fauna, and carbon sequestration capacity. Microplastic ingestion and physical smothering were identified as the most significant direct impacts on seagrass organisms.
Factors influencing microplastic abundances in the sediments of a seagrass-dominated tropical atoll
Researchers investigated factors controlling microplastic abundance in sediments of a seagrass-dominated tropical atoll. They found that seagrass density, water flow patterns, and proximity to human settlements all influenced microplastic accumulation, with denser seagrass meadows trapping more particles in their sediments. The study raises concerns that microplastic buildup in seagrass ecosystems could threaten the ecological services these habitats provide, including carbon storage and biodiversity support.