We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Shifting enzyme activity and microbial composition in sediment coregulate the structure of an aquatic plant community under polyethylene microplastic exposure
ClearPolyethylene microplastics interfere with the nutrient cycle in water-plant-sediment systems
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect nutrient cycling in freshwater systems containing submerged plants and sediment. They found that the microplastics significantly reduced nitrogen and carbon content in plant leaves and disrupted the microbial communities in sediment responsible for nutrient processing. The study demonstrates that microplastic pollution can interfere with fundamental biogeochemical cycles that maintain the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Microplastics enhance the invasion of exotic submerged macrophytes by mediating plant functional traits, sediment properties, and microbial communities
This study found that polystyrene microplastics in water helped invasive aquatic plants grow stronger and spread more effectively, while native plants were not similarly boosted. The microplastics changed soil chemistry and disrupted bacterial communities in ways that specifically favored the invasive species. This research shows that microplastic pollution could accelerate the spread of invasive plants in lakes and rivers, further threatening aquatic ecosystem health.
Responses of submerged plant Vallisneria natans growth and leaf biofilms to water contaminated with microplastics
Researchers exposed the submerged aquatic plant Vallisneria natans to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics and observed increased antioxidant enzyme activity and cellular organelle damage. The microplastics also altered the microbial community composition on leaf biofilms. The findings indicate that even moderate microplastic concentrations can disrupt plant defense mechanisms and shift the microbial ecology of aquatic environments.
Microplastic residues in wetland ecosystems: Do they truly threaten the plant-microbe-soil system?
Researchers used a controlled pot experiment to assess microplastic effects on wetland plant growth, soil microbial communities, and nutrient cycling, finding that MPs altered soil enzyme activity and shifted bacterial community composition but had variable effects on plant growth depending on plastic type.
Bacterial community are more susceptible to nanoplastics than algae community in aquatic ecosystems dominated by submerged macrophytes
Researchers conducted a mesocosm experiment to test how nanoplastics affect bacterial and algal communities in aquatic ecosystems with submerged plants. They found that bacterial communities were significantly more sensitive to nanoplastic exposure than algal communities, with notable shifts in bacterial composition and function. The study reveals that different groups of microorganisms in natural water environments respond very differently to nanoplastic contamination.
Non-synergistic effects of microplastics and submerged macrophytes on sediment microorganisms involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling
This study used genomic analysis to look at how polystyrene microplastics and aquatic plants (submerged macrophytes) together influence the microbial communities in lake sediments that control nutrient cycling. Rather than amplifying each other's effects, the two factors acted independently — microplastics increased microbial diversity while the plants shaped which metabolic functions dominated. The finding suggests that the ecological impact of microplastics in lakes cannot be predicted by looking at microplastics alone, without accounting for the vegetation already present.
[Response of Water-Vallisneria natans-Sediment System to Polyethylene Microplastics].
This study examined how polyethylene microplastics affect the water-Vallisneria natans-sediment system, finding that microplastic exposure alters aquatic plant physiology, sediment microbial activity, and nutrient cycling dynamics.
Microplastic-contamination can reshape plant community by affecting soil properties
Researchers investigated how polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics affect naturally germinated plant communities by altering soil properties. The study found that microplastics changed soil nutrient availability, decreased community stability, and shifted plant species composition, with total phosphorus identified as the strongest driver of changes in plant community structure.
Microplastics drive community dynamics of periphytic protozoan fauna in marine environments
Researchers exposed marine protozoan communities to varying concentrations of microplastics and tracked how the communities changed over time. They found that higher microplastic concentrations reduced species diversity and shifted community composition toward more pollution-tolerant species. The study demonstrates that microplastic pollution can reshape the structure of microscopic marine communities, with potential cascading effects up the food web.
The interaction between plastics and microalgae affects community assembly and nutrient availability
Researchers found that plastic debris coated with biological growth (biofilm) — but not clean plastic — altered the community composition of microalgae and changed nutrient levels in the surrounding water. This suggests that plastic particles act as rafts carrying organisms between environments, potentially disrupting aquatic ecosystems in ways that have been largely overlooked.
Polyamide microplastic pollution modifies the sediment fungal structures associated with different submerged plant species: an insight from aquatic mesocosm experiment
Researchers compiled DNA sequence datasets for sediment bacteria and fungi associated with four submerged aquatic plant species under varying levels of polyamide microplastic pollution in an aquatic mesocosm experiment, providing raw data to support analysis of how microplastic contamination modifies microbial community structures in aquatic sediments.
Polyamide microplastic pollution modifies the sediment fungal structures associated with different submerged plant species: an insight from aquatic mesocosm experiment
Researchers compiled DNA sequence datasets for sediment bacteria and fungi associated with four submerged aquatic plant species under varying levels of polyamide microplastic pollution in an aquatic mesocosm experiment, providing raw data to support analysis of how microplastic contamination modifies microbial community structures in aquatic sediments.
Microplastics alter soil enzyme activities and microbial community structure without negatively affecting plant growth in an agroecosystem
Researchers tested how three types of microplastics (polystyrene, polyethylene, and PVC) affected plant growth, soil enzymes, and microbial communities in an agricultural setting. The study found that while microplastics suppressed several soil enzyme activities and altered carbon cycling, they did not negatively affect plant growth and in some cases actually enhanced above-ground and below-ground plant productivity.
Microplastics can alter phytoplankton community composition
Researchers tested how microplastic fibers affect natural communities of tiny aquatic organisms called phytoplankton, which form the base of aquatic food webs. At higher concentrations, microplastics significantly shifted the community makeup, boosting certain cyanobacteria while reducing other species. The study suggests that growing microplastic pollution could reshape the foundation of aquatic ecosystems in heavily polluted waterways.
Effects of microplastics on the structure and function of bacterial communities in sediments of a freshwater lake
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.
Microplastics in freshwaters: Comparing effects of particle properties and an invertebrate consumer on microbial communities and ecosystem functions
Researchers tested how different microplastic properties, including concentration, shape, and polymer type, affect microbial communities and ecosystem functions in freshwater environments. They found that the presence of an invertebrate consumer had a stronger influence on microbial activity than the microplastics themselves, though high concentrations of certain particle shapes did alter community composition. The study suggests that the ecological effects of microplastics in freshwater depend heavily on the broader biological context.
Responses of submerged macrophytes to different particle size microplastics and tetracycline co-pollutants at the community and population level
Researchers set up outdoor experimental ponds to study how microplastics of different sizes combined with the antibiotic tetracycline affect communities of underwater aquatic plants. Smaller microplastics caused more harm to plant diversity and growth, and the combined exposure with antibiotics created worse effects than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastic pollution could amplify the damage antibiotics cause to freshwater plant ecosystems.
Effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on the growth of sediment-rooted macrophytes
Both nano- and microplastic particles negatively affected the growth of freshwater macrophytes in sediment-rooted experiments, with nanoplastics causing more pronounced effects at lower concentrations. The findings highlight that aquatic plants, which form the base of many freshwater food webs, are vulnerable to plastic particle pollution.
Effects of microplastics on nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and microbial communities in sediments
Researchers found that PVC, PLA, and polypropylene microplastics altered nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in freshwater sediments by shifting microbial community composition, with effects varying by polymer type and biodegradability.
Impacts of microplastics addition on sediment environmental properties, enzymatic activities and bacterial diversity
Researchers conducted a 60-day experiment to assess how adding different types of microplastics to river sediment affects its chemical properties, enzyme activity, and bacterial communities. They found that microplastics altered nutrient cycling, changed enzyme activity levels, and shifted the composition of sediment microbial communities. The study demonstrates that microplastic accumulation in sediments can disrupt the biological processes that maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems.
Soil biota modulate the effects of microplastics on biomass and diversity of plant communities
Researchers used mesocosm experiments with natural soil biota to compare the effects of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics on plant community biomass and diversity. Soil biota modulated the impact of microplastics, with biodegradable plastics showing similar effects to conventional plastics on plant community structure, challenging the assumption that biodegradable alternatives are environmentally benign.
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.
Ecological impacts of polylactic acid and polylactic acid-polyethylene microplastics on freshwater ecosystems: Insights from a water–Vallisneria natans–sediment system
Researchers tested the effects of biodegradable PLA and PLA-polyethylene blend microplastics on a freshwater ecosystem containing aquatic plants and sediment. Both types of microplastics altered water chemistry, reduced plant growth, increased oxidative stress, and shifted the microbial communities in both water and sediment. The study demonstrates that even biodegradable plastic alternatives can disrupt freshwater ecosystems in meaningful ways.
Microbial Community Dynamics and Biogeochemical Cycling in Microplastic-Contaminated Sediment
This review summarizes current research on how microplastics alter microbial communities and nutrient cycling processes in sediments at the bottom of water bodies. Researchers found that the effects depend on the type of plastic, exposure duration, and the specific sediment environment, with biodegradable plastics causing the most significant changes. The study highlights that microplastics in sediments can reshape the microbial ecosystems that drive essential biogeochemical processes like carbon and nitrogen cycling.