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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Taxonomic Composition Change after Environmental Levels Addition of Polyethylene Microplastic (PE-MPs) to Mediterranean Sediment: Case Study of Bizerte Lagoon Nematodes Communities
ClearConcentration-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.
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.
Earthworms on a microplastics diet
Researchers found that environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics added to plant litter on soil surfaces led to reduced growth and elevated mortality in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris, and that earthworms may themselves transport ingested microplastics deeper into soils.
Impact of treated sewage on meiobenthic nematodes: a case study from the Tunisian Refining Industries Company
This study assessed how treated sewage discharge from an industrial refinery in Tunisia affected the diversity and health of small benthic worms (nematodes) in a coastal bay. Nematode communities are sensitive biological indicators of water quality, and their disruption can signal pollution that may include microplastics from industrial effluents.
Environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics negatively impact the survival, growth and emergence of sediment-dwelling invertebrates
Researchers exposed sediment-dwelling invertebrates, including midges and worms, to environmentally realistic concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and found significant reductions in survival, growth, and emergence rates. The study provides evidence that even at concentrations currently found in freshwater sediments, microplastics can negatively affect benthic organisms that play key roles in ecosystem functioning.
Ingestion of microplastics by free-living marine nematodes, especially Enoplolaimus spp., in Mallipo Beach, South Korea
Scientists found that marine nematodes—tiny worms living in beach sediments in South Korea—ingested microplastics, with some species taking up more than others. This shows microplastics are entering the base of marine food webs through sediment-dwelling organisms, potentially affecting entire ecosystems.
Abundance and distribution of small microplastics (≤ 3 μm) in sediments and seaworms from the Southern Mediterranean coasts and characterisation of their potential harmful effects.
Researchers quantified very small microplastics (≤3 µm) in sediment and marine worms from multiple sites along the southern Mediterranean coast and described their morphological and chemical characteristics, finding widespread contamination at sizes typically overlooked by standard methods.
Changes in particle mixing by benthic infauna induced by microplastics: implications for nitrogen cycling in marine sediments
Researchers found that increasing polypropylene microplastic concentrations impaired deep-burrowing behaviour of the marine worm Macroclymenella stewartensis but not the bivalve Macomona liliana, with microplastics also modifying interspecific relationships and thereby disrupting particle mixing and nutrient cycling processes in marine sediments.
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.
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.
Effects of microplastics pollution on the abundance and composition of interstitial meiofauna
Researchers found that microplastic accumulation in beach sediments negatively affected the abundance and community composition of meiofauna at lower intertidal levels on urban Colombian beaches, with microplastics explaining 39% of community variation in the most heavily impacted zone.
In Situ Effects of a Microplastic Mixture on the Community Structure of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in a Freshwater Pond
Researchers conducted an in situ mesocosm experiment adding a realistic microplastic mixture to freshwater pond sediments and monitored benthic macroinvertebrate communities over time, finding that MP exposure shifted community composition and reduced taxonomic richness at environmentally relevant concentrations.
The effects of high-density polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on the soil and earthworm Metaphire guillelmi gut microbiota
Researchers exposed earthworms to soil amended with high-density polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics for 28 days and examined changes in both the earthworm gut and soil microbial communities. They found that both types of microplastics significantly altered the composition and diversity of gut bacteria in the earthworms. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in soil can disrupt the gut microbiota of soil organisms, with potential consequences for soil ecosystem health.
Can Microplastic Pollution Change Important Aquatic Bacterial Communities?
Microplastics in coastal sediments can change the composition of important bacterial communities that cycle nutrients and maintain ecosystem health. Microplastic-associated bacteria differ significantly from natural sediment bacteria, with potential consequences for the chemical processes these communities perform.
Nematode Community Structures in the Presence of Wastewater Treatment Plant Discharge
Researchers examined how wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge affects nematode communities in sediments of St. Andrew Bay, Florida. Sites near WWTP outflows showed altered nematode diversity and abundance compared to reference sites. Nematode communities are sensitive indicators of sediment pollution and can be used to assess the ecological impact of wastewater discharge including microplastic contamination.
Investigation of Soil-Dwelling Bacterial Community Changes Induced by Microplastic Ex posure Using Amplicon Sequencing
Researchers analyzed soil bacterial community composition after microplastic contamination, finding that different polymer types caused distinct shifts in microbial diversity and functional groups, with implications for soil nutrient cycling and agricultural productivity.
Effects of microplastics on soil microbiome: The impacts of polymer type, shape, and concentration
Researchers examined how different microplastic polymer types, shapes, and concentrations affected soil bacterial communities, finding that these physical characteristics induced distinct shifts in soil microbiome composition and diversity.
Responses of earthworms exposed to low-density polyethylene microplastic fragments
Researchers exposed earthworms to low-density polyethylene microplastic fragments at various concentrations and studied the effects on their survival, growth, and reproduction. The microplastics affected earthworm behavior and caused measurable changes depending on concentration and exposure time. Since earthworms are critical for soil health and nutrient cycling, their sensitivity to microplastics raises concerns about how plastic pollution may degrade agricultural soils.
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.
Assessing the presence of microplastic in agriculture soils irrigated with treated waste waters using Lumbricus sp.: Ecotoxicological effects
Researchers collected earthworms from agricultural soils irrigated with treated wastewater in Morocco and found microplastics had accumulated in both the soil and the worms' tissues. The microplastic exposure caused oxidative stress and cellular damage in the earthworms. This study demonstrates that using treated wastewater for farming, a common practice in water-scarce regions, introduces microplastics into agricultural soil where they can harm soil organisms and potentially enter the food chain.
Effect of Macroplastic on Soil Invertebrates: a Case Study Using Morphological and Molecular Approaches
Large plastic fragments — not just microplastics — were found to harm soil invertebrate communities in Russia, reducing diversity and abundance in contaminated plots, suggesting that macroplastic pollution poses underappreciated risks to soil ecosystems.
Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Deposition in coastal shallow sediments, spatial variation and preferential grain size
Researchers sampled Mediterranean coastal shallow sediments and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting land-based inputs and showing that coastal sediments are a significant regional reservoir for plastic debris.
Size- and Time-Dependent Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics on Soil Nematode Communities: A 360-Day Field Experiment
A year-long field experiment examined how polyethylene microplastics of seven different size fractions affect soil nematode communities. Researchers found that microplastic effects on nematode composition, trophic structure, and community stability were clearly dependent on both particle size and exposure duration, with smaller particles and longer exposure generally causing greater ecological disruption in soil ecosystems.
The role of microbe-microplastic associations in marine Nematode feeding behaviors
Researchers found that microbial biofilms growing on microplastics influenced marine nematode feeding behavior, with nematodes showing preferential consumption of biofilm-coated particles, suggesting that microbial colonization plays a key role in why organisms ingest microplastics.