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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Effect of microplastics on CO2 emission from Yellow River Delta wetland
ClearWater level regimes can regulate the influences of microplastic pollution on carbon loss in paddy soils: Insights from dissolved organic matter and carbon mineralization
Researchers examined how water level fluctuations in wetlands regulate the influence of microplastic pollution on carbon cycling, finding that alternating wet and dry conditions altered decomposition rates and greenhouse gas emissions in MP-contaminated wetland soils.
Carbon Cycling in Wetlands Under the Shadow of Microplastics: Challenges and Prospects
This review examines how microplastics disrupt carbon cycling in wetlands, which are critical ecosystems for capturing and storing carbon that would otherwise contribute to climate change. Microplastics can damage plant roots, alter soil microbial communities, and accelerate the breakdown of stored organic carbon, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions. The findings highlight that microplastic pollution may undermine wetlands' ability to help regulate the climate.
Disentangling microplastics effects on soil structure, microbial activity and greenhouse gas emissions
Researchers studied how microplastics affect soil structure, microbial activity, and greenhouse gas emissions, finding complex interactions that depend on microplastic type and concentration. The presence of microplastics in soils can alter the biological processes that regulate carbon storage and nutrient cycling.
Effects of microplastics on carbon release and microbial community in mangrove soil systems
Researchers tested how microplastics affect carbon release and microbial life in mangrove soils at different depths. They found that while topsoil was largely unaffected, deeper soil layers released significantly more carbon dioxide when microplastics were present, particularly biodegradable types like polylactic acid. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in mangrove ecosystems could accelerate carbon loss from deeper soils by disrupting microbial communities and worsening nitrogen limitations.
Microplastics promote methane emission in estuarine and coastal wetlands
This study found that microplastics in coastal and estuarine wetlands increase methane emissions by boosting the activity of methane-producing microorganisms while reducing methane-consuming ones. Both conventional and biodegradable plastics had this effect, meaning microplastic pollution is not just a direct health concern but also contributes to climate change by amplifying greenhouse gas release from natural ecosystems.
Abundance of microplastics in a typical urban wetland in China: Association with occurrence and carbon storage
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in a Chinese urban wetland and estimated how much carbon the plastic particles contribute to the ecosystem. While microplastic-carbon currently makes up less than 0.3% of total organic carbon in the wetland, projections suggest this could rise to over 4% by 2100 if plastic production trends continue. The study highlights that microplastics are not just pollutants but are also subtly altering the carbon balance of ecosystems.
Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils
Researchers reviewed how microplastics affect carbon cycling processes in soils, including their influence on microbial activity, plant growth, and litter decomposition. Since microplastics are themselves carbon-based materials, they can directly alter soil carbon stocks while also indirectly shifting microbial communities. The study calls for a major research effort to understand the widespread effects of microplastics on soil functioning and terrestrial ecosystem health.
Effects of polypropylene microplastics on carbon dioxide dynamics in intertidal mangrove sediments
This study investigated how polypropylene microplastics affect carbon dioxide dynamics in mangrove sediments. Researchers found that microplastic contamination altered organic carbon content and microbial communities, influencing CO2 release patterns differently depending on tidal elevation and microplastic concentration.
Recent Insights into Microplastic Pollution and Its Effects on Soil Carbon: A Five-Year Ecosystem Review
This review of 46 studies examines how microplastics influence carbon cycling in different soil ecosystems. The majority of studies reported increased CO2 and methane emissions in soils containing microplastics, though some found opposite or neutral effects depending on soil type and the characteristics of the microplastics, highlighting the need for further research to understand these complex interactions.
Microplastic pollution threatens mangrove carbon sequestration capacity
Researchers found that microplastic pollution in mangrove soils is linked to increased methane production potential by favoring methane-producing archaea over methane-consuming bacteria. A nationwide survey of Chinese mangroves revealed higher microplastic concentrations in surface soils, with stronger associations with methane-cycling microorganisms at shallow depths. The findings suggest that plastic pollution could undermine the carbon sequestration capacity of these critical coastal ecosystems, potentially turning them from carbon sinks into greenhouse gas sources.
Microplastics Generate Less Mineral Protection of Soil Carbon and More CO2 Emissions
Researchers investigated how dissolved organic matter released from microplastics affects soil carbon storage compared to natural organic matter. They found that microplastic-derived compounds are nearly eight times more easily consumed by soil microbes, leading to significantly higher carbon dioxide emissions and much less carbon being stored in soil minerals. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution in agricultural and natural soils may undermine the land's ability to store carbon and contribute to climate warming.
The impacts of polypropylene microplastics on carbon and nitrogen cycling in coastal wetlands: Field evidence
Researchers conducted a three-month in-situ field investigation of polypropylene microplastic effects on sediment carbon and nitrogen cycling in both intertidal and supratidal zones of a coastal wetland. They found that high concentrations (2% w/w) of polypropylene microplastics significantly stimulated carbon-degrading enzyme activity, while the effects on total organic carbon and nitrogen cycling showed concentration-dependent variation across wetland zones.
A Double‐Edged Sword of Biodegradable Microplastics on the Soil Microbial Carbon Pump
Researchers found that biodegradable microplastics in soil had a double-edged effect: they increased carbon dioxide emissions (contributing to greenhouse gases) but also boosted the efficiency of soil microbes at storing carbon in stable forms. This suggests microplastic pollution in farmland has complex environmental consequences that go beyond simple contamination, potentially affecting both climate change and long-term soil health.
Fate and Effects of Macro- and Microplastics in Coastal Wetlands
Researchers compiled data from 112 studies to evaluate how macro- and microplastics accumulate in and affect coastal wetlands including mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass beds. They found that plastic concentrations in wetland sediments and marine animals were roughly 200 times higher than in the water column, indicating these ecosystems act as major plastic sinks. The study warns that plastic accumulation can alter sediment properties, harm wildlife, and disrupt the carbon storage function of these critical habitats.
Key Role of Vegetation Cover in Alleviating Microplastic-Enhanced Carbon Emissions
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics in urban greenspace soils caused a surprisingly large increase in carbon dioxide emissions from the soil. However, the presence of vegetation cover significantly reduced this effect by altering soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling. The study suggests that maintaining plant cover in urban green spaces could help counteract the carbon-releasing effects of microplastic pollution in soil.
Effects of Microplastics on Soil Carbon Mineralization: The Crucial Role of Oxygen Dynamics and Electron Transfer
Researchers investigated how polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics affect carbon cycling in soil, focusing on oxygen dynamics and electron transfer processes. They found that microplastics alter dissolved oxygen distribution at the microscale, which in turn influences how organic matter breaks down and whether carbon is released as CO2 or methane. The study reveals a previously overlooked mechanism by which microplastics can disrupt fundamental soil carbon processes.
Microplastic effects on carbon cycling in terrestrial soil ecosystems: Storage, formation, mineralization, and microbial mechanisms
Microplastics in soil contribute to organic carbon storage through degradation and leaching, but also disrupt carbon cycling by altering plant growth, litter decomposition, and microbial activity. The net effect on soil CO2 and CH4 emissions varies depending on how microplastics reshape microbial community structure and enzyme activity.
Effects of microplastics on sedimentary greenhouse gas emissions and underlying microbiome-mediated mechanisms: A comparison of sediments from distinct altitudes
Researchers compared how PVC and polylactic acid microplastics affect greenhouse gas emissions from river sediments at different altitudes along the Yellow River. The study found that both types of microplastics increased carbon dioxide emissions by promoting the growth of organic-matter-degrading microbes, while PVC specifically boosted nitrous oxide emissions by enriching denitrifying bacteria.
Effects of microplastics on soil organic carbon and greenhouse gas emissions in the context of straw incorporation: A comparison with different types of soil
Researchers combined microplastic treatments with straw incorporation in different soil types and measured effects on soil organic carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, finding that microplastics altered carbon cycling and in some soils increased CO2 and N2O emissions.
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.