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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Size- and Time-Dependent Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics on Soil Nematode Communities: A 360-Day Field Experiment
ClearMicroplastic-Induced Reductions in Population, Fecundity, and Body Size of Soil Nematodes
Three soil nematode species were exposed to polystyrene microplastics at 0.1, 0.5, and 1 µm sizes for 45 days, revealing size-dependent reductions in population abundance, fecundity, and body size, with smaller particles generally more harmful.
Concentration-Dependent Impacts of Microplastics on Soil Nematode Community in Bulk Soils of Maize: Evidence From a Pot Experiment
Researchers found that polypropylene microplastics altered soil nematode community composition in a concentration-dependent manner, reducing bacterivore abundance and shifting the soil food web structure, indicating disrupted soil ecological functioning in agricultural settings.
Microplastic-induced reductions in population abundance and body size of soil nematodes
Researchers exposed three species of soil nematodes to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and found significant reductions in both population numbers and body size after 45 days. The smallest particles (0.1 micrometers) caused the most severe effects, demonstrating that microplastic toxicity to soil organisms is size-dependent.
Species-specific effects of long-term microplastic exposure on the population growth of nematodes, with a focus on microplastic ingestion
Scientists conducted long-term microplastic exposure experiments on freshwater nematode species and found species-specific effects on population growth, with ingestion rates and harm varying substantially across species despite identical exposure conditions.
The impact of microplastic on nematodes: Soil type, plastic amount and aging as determinants for the fitness of Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers tested how two types of microplastics, conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PLA/PBAT, affected tiny soil worms called nematodes across different soil types. Conventional plastic at high concentrations reduced worm reproduction and growth, while the biodegradable plastic caused no harm. Importantly, as microplastics aged in the soil over time, their negative effects worsened, suggesting the long-term impact of plastic pollution in agricultural soil may be greater than short-term studies indicate.
Comparing the long-term responses of soil microbial structures and diversities to polyethylene microplastics in different aggregate fractions
Long-term soil incubation with polyethylene microplastics found that MPs altered aggregate stability, inhibited soil enzyme activities, and changed microbial community structure and diversity differently across soil aggregate size fractions, with effects persisting over time.
Impact of microplastic concentration on soil nematode communities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Evidence from a field-based microcosms experiment
Researchers conducted a one-year field experiment on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to study how different concentrations of microplastics affect soil nematode communities. They found that nematode abundance and diversity showed a hump-shaped response, peaking at low microplastic concentrations but declining at higher levels, with the lowest biomass observed at the highest treatment. The study suggests that microplastics directly influence soil fauna communities, particularly fungivore and omnivorous nematodes, with implications for understanding ecological impacts on soil ecosystems.
Size-dependent effects of polystyrene plastic particles on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as related to soil physicochemical properties.
This study exposed the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to two sizes of polystyrene particles in both liquid and soil media and found that smaller particles were more toxic in liquid while larger particles caused greater harm in soil. The results show that the physical properties of the surrounding environment significantly influence how microplastics harm soil organisms.
Effects of Different Microplastics on Nematodes in the Soil Environment: Tracking the Extractable Additives Using an Ecotoxicological Approach
Researchers examined how different types of microplastics affect soil nematode populations by tracking extractable chemical additives released from the plastic particles. They found that microplastic composition, size, and shape influenced the types and amounts of chemicals leached into the soil, which in turn affected nematode survival and behavior. The study highlights that the indirect chemical effects of microplastics may be just as important as their physical presence in determining soil ecosystem impacts.
Effects of polyethylene microplastics stress on soil physicochemical properties mediated by earthworm Eisenia fetida
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics of two sizes and found that smaller particles (13 micrometers) were more toxic than larger ones (130 micrometers), reducing survival and growth more severely. The microplastics caused oxidative stress in the worms and altered key soil properties including pH and organic carbon content. Since earthworms play a vital role in maintaining healthy soil for agriculture, this damage could affect soil quality and ultimately the food grown in microplastic-contaminated farmland.
Microplastics Effects on Reproduction and Body Length of the Soil-Dwelling Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers compared the effects of conventional low-density polyethylene microplastics and biodegradable polymer microplastics on reproduction and body length in the soil nematode C. elegans. The study found that microplastic exposure affected these organisms, highlighting that even biodegradable plastics may pose risks to soil-dwelling invertebrates and that terrestrial microplastic toxicity deserves greater research attention.
Effects of different sizes of polystyrene micro(nano)plastics on soil microbial communities.
This study tested how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastic particles of three sizes affect soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling, finding that smaller particles caused greater disruption to nitrogen cycling and microbial activity. The results suggest that as plastics in soil fragment into smaller pieces over time, their impact on soil biology and fertility may worsen.
[Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics on Soil Nutrients and Enzyme Activities].
Researchers studied how different concentrations and sizes of polyethylene microplastics affect soil chemistry and enzyme activity over four months. They found that smaller microplastics had a greater impact on soil nutrient cycling than larger ones, and that higher concentrations more significantly disrupted enzyme functions critical for soil health. The study indicates that microplastic pollution in agricultural soils could impair the biological processes that maintain soil fertility.
Size- and concentration-dependent effects of microplastics on soil aggregate formation and properties
This study tested how polyethylene microplastics of different sizes and amounts affect soil structure, finding that smaller particles cause more damage. As microplastics break down into smaller pieces over time, they increasingly disrupt soil aggregates, reduce water stability, and alter soil density. This matters for human health because degraded soil affects food production and can change how contaminants move through the environment.
Plastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems: Current knowledge on impacts of micro and nano fragments on invertebrates
This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics affect soil-dwelling invertebrates like earthworms and insects, finding that effects vary widely depending on plastic type, shape, concentration, and exposure time. While no broad conclusions could be drawn, the documented sublethal effects on soil organisms could disrupt the soil ecosystems that support the crops humans depend on for food.
Time-dependent effects of microplastics on soil bacteriome
Researchers studied how six common types of microplastics affect soil bacteria over time at realistic contamination levels. The effects were slow to appear due to the chemical stability of plastics, but over time, microplastics altered bacterial community structure and soil functions in ways that differed by plastic type. This matters because changes to soil bacteria can affect nutrient cycling and crop health, with potential downstream effects on food quality.
Community dynamics and functional traits drive microplastic sequestration by marine nematodes
Researchers ran short- and long-term microcosm experiments to investigate how marine nematode communities interact with microplastics in benthic sediments, finding that meaningful particle sequestration only occurred at very high MP densities and was driven primarily by opportunistic non-selective feeders, while community-level impacts on nematode structure paradoxically appeared most severe at low MP concentrations.
Microplastics affect soil bacterial community assembly more by their shapes rather than the concentrations
Researchers conducted a two-year field study examining how different shapes of polyethylene microplastics affect soil bacterial communities and found that shape matters more than concentration. Fiber and fragment-shaped microplastics caused the most significant changes in bacterial diversity and community structure compared to spherical or powder forms. The findings challenge the common assumption that microplastic concentration is the primary factor driving ecological impacts in soil.
Microplastics in soil ecosystems: soil fauna responses to field applications of conventional and biodegradable microplastics
Researchers conducted a field experiment comparing the effects of conventional polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics with biodegradable polylactic acid and polybutylene succinate microplastics on soil fauna communities, finding no significant effects on community composition after 40 days at any concentration tested.
Effects of Different Microplastics on Nematodes in the Soil Environment: Tracking the Extractable Additives using an Ecotoxicological Approach
This study tested how three different microplastic types with varying sizes, shapes, and polymer compositions affected soil nematodes, finding that the type of microplastic and its extractable chemical additives influenced toxicity outcomes. The findings show that microplastic effects on soil organisms depend on the specific characteristics of the plastic, meaning blanket toxicity assessments using a single plastic type can be misleading.
Soil microplastic characteristics and the effects on soil properties and biota: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Meta-analysis of 2,886 experimental groups found that microplastics significantly decreased soil bulk density and aggregate stability, indicating structural damage, while also reducing plant root biomass and soil phosphatase activity. Invertebrates were more sensitive to microplastics than other soil organisms, as particles can pass through nematode gut walls causing oxidative stress and altered gene expression.
Succession of soil bacterial communities and network patterns in response to conventional and biodegradable microplastics: A microcosmic study in Mollisol
Using a soil microcosm experiment, researchers compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics affected soil bacterial communities over 90 days across four dosages. Biodegradable microplastics induced greater community dissimilarity from controls and tended to enrich environmentally beneficial taxa, while conventional polyethylene promoted potentially hazardous bacteria.
Effects of variable-sized polyethylene microplastics on soil chemical properties and functions and microbial communities in purple soil
Researchers tested how different sizes of polyethylene microplastics affect the chemistry and microbial life of purple soil, a common agricultural soil in China. Smaller microplastics (300 micrometers) reduced dissolved organic matter and stimulated the growth of plastic-degrading bacteria, while larger particles (600 micrometers) were more toxic to microbial communities overall. The study shows that microplastic size matters for how soil health is affected, with implications for crop-growing regions where plastic mulch film is commonly used.
Ecotoxicological effects of different size ranges of industrial-grade polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on earthworms Eisenia fetida
Researchers exposed earthworms to industrial-grade polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics of various sizes and found that the worms ingested all types of particles tested. The microplastics caused oxidative stress and DNA damage in the earthworms, with the severity depending on both the size and type of plastic. Gene analysis revealed that exposure disrupted pathways related to nervous system function, oxidative stress, and inflammation, indicating that microplastics pose ecological risks to important soil organisms.