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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Interactive effects of drought and microplastic particle size on soil bacterial community structure
ClearIndependent and combined effects of microplastics pollution and drought on soil bacterial community
Researchers studied how polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics, combined with drought conditions, affect soil bacteria. Very small (20 micrometer) biodegradable PLA microplastics significantly reduced bacterial diversity by over 17%, while conventional polyethylene had less impact. The results suggest that the combined stress of microplastic pollution and drought could meaningfully alter soil microbial communities that are essential for healthy ecosystems and agriculture.
Drought Alleviates the Negative Effects of Microplastics on Soil Micro-Food Web Complexity and Stability
Researchers found that drought conditions can actually alleviate the negative effects of microplastic pollution on soil micro-food web complexity and stability, suggesting these two environmental stressors interact in unexpected ways rather than simply compounding harm.
Microplastic fibres affect soil fungal communities depending on drought conditions with consequences for ecosystem functions
Researchers found that microplastic fibers affect soil fungal communities differently depending on whether the soil is well-watered or drought-stressed. Under normal moisture, microplastics reduced fungal diversity, but during drought they actually increased fungal richness, suggesting that the environmental impact of microplastics on soil ecosystems depends heavily on climate conditions.
Effects of polypropylene micro(nano)plastics on soil bacterial and fungal community assembly in saline-alkaline wetlands
Scientists found that polypropylene nano-sized plastics disrupted soil bacterial communities more severely than micro-sized particles in saline wetland soil, reducing network complexity and altering how communities form. Bacteria were more sensitive to the plastic stress than fungi, and nanoplastics disrupted important interactions between soil microbes and plants. This suggests that as plastics break down into ever-smaller pieces in the environment, their impact on soil health may actually increase.
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.
Microplastics increase soil microbial network complexity and trigger diversity-driven community assembly
Researchers found that microplastics in soil increased bacterial network complexity and shifted microbial community assembly in a diversity-dependent manner, with high-density polyethylene causing more harm to plant growth than polystyrene or polylactic acid particles.
Rhizosphere microbial activities in response to combined effects of drought and microplastic
Researchers studied how combined drought stress and microplastic contamination affect rhizosphere microbial activities, finding that microplastics exacerbated drought-induced suppression of soil enzyme activities and altered microbial community structure around plant roots.
Effects of microplastics and drought on soil ecosystem functions and multifunctionality
Researchers tested how microplastic fibers and drought conditions interact to affect soil ecosystem functions in grassland plant communities. The study found that the combination of microplastics and drought negatively impacted nutrient cycling enzymes, soil respiration, and overall ecosystem multifunctionality, suggesting that microplastics may worsen the well-known damaging effects of drought on soil systems.
Microplastics in heavy metal-contaminated soil drives bacterial community and metabolic changes
Researchers found that adding common microplastics to soil already contaminated with heavy metals significantly changed the bacterial communities and their metabolic processes. The microplastics increased competition among bacteria and shifted how they process energy, while Proteobacteria became more abundant as a stress response. This matters because when microplastics and heavy metals combine in agricultural soil, they may disrupt the microbial ecosystems that keep soil healthy for growing food.
Effects of Microplastic Fibers and Drought on Plant Communities
Researchers added microplastic fibers to plant communities and applied drought stress, finding that microfibers reduced total community productivity and shifted species composition, with combined microplastic-drought stress causing greater harm than either factor alone.
Soil microplastics pollution can reduce viral abundance and have less consistent impacts on bacteria
Researchers exposed soils containing natural microbial communities to polyethylene and PVC microplastics and found that both types consistently reduced viral abundance, while effects on bacteria were more variable, suggesting microplastic pollution may alter the balance of microbial communities that regulate soil processes.
Differential responses of soil microbial community structure and function to conventional and biodegradable microplastics
Scientists compared how tiny pieces of regular plastics and "biodegradable" plastics affect helpful bacteria in soil after 6 months. They found that biodegradable plastics actually disrupted soil bacteria more than regular plastics, changing the microbes that help plants grow and cycle nutrients. This matters because these soil bacteria are crucial for growing healthy food, so switching to biodegradable plastics might not be the simple environmental solution we hoped for.
Role of microplastics in microbial community structure and functions in urban soils
Researchers analyzed 42 soil samples from seven types of urban areas and found that microplastics in city soil significantly alter the makeup and activity of microbial communities. Higher microplastic levels were linked to changes in bacteria involved in nutrient cycling and organic matter breakdown. This matters because healthy soil microbes are essential for urban green spaces, food gardens, and ultimately the quality of produce grown in city environments.
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 plastic fragments on plant performance are mediated by soil properties and drought
Researchers found that plastic fragments reduced soil water content and negatively affected Arabidopsis thaliana growth, with effects most pronounced under drought conditions and dependent on soil texture, suggesting plastic pollution and water stress interact to compound harm to plants.
Effects of microplastics on selected physical properties of agricultural soils and on the response of the selected terrestrial isopod
Scientists found that tiny plastic pieces from agricultural films change how soil holds and releases water, with some types increasing available water for plants by about 5%. These microplastics also affect soil creatures that help keep ecosystems healthy. This matters because these plastic particles could be changing how our food is grown and may eventually end up in the crops we eat.
Microplastic particles alter wheat rhizosphere soil microbial community composition and function
Researchers found that microplastic particles altered wheat rhizosphere soil microbial community composition and function, with different polymer types inducing distinct shifts in bacterial diversity and nutrient cycling processes.
Effect of microfibers combined with UV-B and drought on plant community
Researchers studied how microfiber contamination in soil interacted with ultraviolet-B radiation and drought to affect plant communities in a controlled experiment. The combination of microfibers, UV-B radiation, and drought stress caused greater reductions in plant diversity and productivity than any single factor alone. This study highlights how microplastic pollution interacts with other environmental stressors linked to climate change to damage terrestrial ecosystems.
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.
Polyethylene microplastics alter soil microbial community assembly and ecosystem multifunctionality
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics at different concentrations affect soil microbial communities and overall ecosystem function in a maize growing system. They found that higher concentrations of microplastics shifted microbial community composition, reduced beneficial bacteria involved in nutrient cycling, and impaired multiple soil ecosystem functions simultaneously. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can undermine the biological processes that support healthy crop growth.