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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Ants actively carry microplastics
ClearThe transport of microplastics by ants cannot be neglected in the soil ecosystem
Laboratory experiments demonstrated that ants can actively transport low-density polyethylene microplastics through soil, carrying particles both into their nests and across soil layers at rates that could meaningfully affect microplastic distribution at the ecosystem scale. The findings identify soil fauna as an underappreciated biotic driver of microplastic vertical and horizontal migration in soils.
Transport of microplastics by two collembolan species
Researchers exposed two species of soil springtails (collembolans) to surface-applied microplastics and found that these small invertebrates can transport plastic particles vertically into deeper soil layers as they move. This is one of the first demonstrations that soil fauna can redistribute microplastics downward in terrestrial ecosystems.
Microplastics are transferred by soil fauna and regulate soil function as material carriers
Springtail soil invertebrates were found to actively transport microplastics through soil and to transfer them and their adsorbed contaminants during feeding activity. Microplastic-laden springtails also suppressed soil organic matter decomposition, demonstrating that soil fauna mediate both the spatial redistribution and the functional impacts of microplastic pollution.
Above- and below-ground links mediated by arboreal ants and host tree modify soil aggregation scaling, infiltration, and chemistry
This ecological study examined how arboreal ants and tree species indirectly influence soil structure, water infiltration, and chemistry through above-belowground interactions. The study is focused on soil ecology and is not directly related to microplastic research.
Microplastic accumulation in terrestrial insects on the example of social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)
Researchers analyzed microplastic accumulation in 466 wild wasps across 16 regions of Eurasia and North Africa from 2012 to 2024, finding that all species carried microplastic fibers and fragments in their bodies, with contamination highest near coastal areas. The findings show that terrestrial insects can act as carriers that spread microplastics through land-based food webs.
Leaching of microplastics enhanced through complex soil meso- and macrofaunal community transport
A mesocosm experiment showed that soil invertebrates — including earthworms and collembolans — actively transport microplastics deeper into the soil profile, significantly accelerating the downward movement of plastic particles beyond what occurs through water alone. This finding is important because it means microplastics can migrate more quickly into deeper soil layers and potentially into groundwater, expanding their environmental footprint well beyond the surface.
Ants avoid food contaminated with micro- and nanoplastics
Researchers tested whether acrobat ants (Crematogaster scutellaris) could detect polyethylene micro- and nanoplastics in food, finding that workers preferentially fed on uncontaminated solutions in the first 10 minutes, though preference disappeared after feeding satiation and fluorescent imaging confirmed plastic accumulation in ant mouthparts.
Trophic predator-prey relationships promote transport of microplastics compared with the single Hypoaspis aculeifer and Folsomia candida
Researchers examined how soil microarthropods at different trophic levels contribute to the transport of microplastics through soil. They found that individual species moved microplastics vertically in soil, but predator-prey interactions between mites and collembolans significantly enhanced plastic transport compared to single-species scenarios. The findings suggest that food web dynamics in soil ecosystems play an important role in redistributing microplastic contamination.
The extent and impacts of soil pollution by microplastics
This study examines the extent and impacts of soil pollution by microplastics, reviewing evidence of how microplastic particles accumulate in terrestrial environments and affect soil ecosystems, organisms, and agricultural systems.
Low-density polyethylene microplastics as a source and carriers of agrochemicals to soil and earthworms
Researchers investigated whether low-density polyethylene microplastics could act as carriers of agrochemicals in soil and found that the particles both released their own chemical additives and transported pesticides to earthworms. The study suggests microplastics in agricultural soils may serve as a previously underappreciated pathway for chemical exposure in soil organisms.
Microplastic in Terrestrial Ecosystems and the Soil?
This review examined the occurrence and behavior of microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems and soils, questioning how particles move through and accumulate in soils and calling for more research on land-based microplastic impacts.
Microplastic transport in soil by earthworms
Researchers demonstrated that earthworms can transport microplastic particles from the soil surface deeper into the ground, with smaller particles being moved to greater depths. Using the common earthworm Lumbricus terrestris in greenhouse experiments, they showed that worm activity significantly increased the presence of microplastics in lower soil layers. The findings suggest that earthworms play an important role in burying microplastics in soil, potentially affecting other soil organisms and groundwater.
Soil microplastics inhibit the movement of springtail species
This study found that soil microplastics impeded the movement of springtail species in laboratory experiments, with effects dependent on plastic particle size and concentration, suggesting potential ecological consequences for soil-dwelling invertebrates.
Collembola laterally move biochar particles
Springtails (soil invertebrates) were found to actively transport biochar particles through soil, with particle movement varying by biochar feedstock type. This mechanism of biological particle transport in soil is relevant to understanding how microplastics might be redistributed through soil by invertebrates.
Microplastic contamination in soil environment – a review
This review examines the sources, transport, degradation, and ecological impacts of microplastic contamination in soil environments. The study suggests that soil acts as both a major sink for microplastics and a conduit transporting them to aquatic systems, and that microplastics can negatively affect soil organisms and biogeochemistry, underscoring the need for more research on terrestrial microplastic pollution.
Characterizing microplastic ingestion, transformation, and excretion in insects using fluorescent plastics
Using fluorescent microplastics as tracers, researchers showed that insects can ingest, transform through digestion, and excrete microplastic particles, demonstrating that insects are both exposed to and potential vectors for spreading microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems.
Ecological interactions influencing microplastic loading in small terrestrial birds
Researchers examined how ecological interactions among soil organisms influence microplastic loading in small terrestrial bird nests, finding that foraging behavior and habitat use create pathways for plastic accumulation in nest materials.
Exposure Pathways and Toxicity of Microplastics in Terrestrial Insects
This review summarizes what is known about how land-dwelling insects encounter, consume, and are affected by plastic pollution. Insects can accumulate microplastics and transfer them to animals higher up the food chain, and exposure has been linked to reduced growth, reproduction, and survival. Since insects play critical roles in pollination and soil health, widespread plastic contamination could have cascading effects on ecosystems and agriculture.
Earthworms transport microplastic fibres in soils
Laboratory experiments showed that earthworms actively transport microplastic fibers deeper into soil profiles, suggesting that bioturbation by earthworms represents an important pathway for vertical redistribution of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Underestimated and ignored? The impacts of microplastic on soil invertebrates—Current scientific knowledge and research needs
This review highlights the critical gap in research on how microplastics affect soil invertebrates, noting that soil ecosystems receive far more plastic pollution than oceans yet the ecological consequences for soil fauna remain poorly understood and largely unstudied.