Study reveals tiny plastic particles' impact on terrestrial food webs

A new study has highlighted the ecological effects of tiny plastic particles on food webs in terrestrial ecosystems, shedding light on how plastic waste compounds the ongoing environmental crises.

The study, published in the journal Trends in Plant Science, was jointly conducted by researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, and University of Southern Denmark.

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) - plastic particles and fibers ranging from one nanometer to five millimeters in size - pose an emerging threat to both marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

The researchers found that MNPs accumulate in most studied plants and associated aboveground and belowground (AG-BG) biota. These particles can transfer along AG-BG food webs, potentially disrupting ecosystem functionality.

"Once absorbed by plants, MNPs interact with herbivores, pollinators and mycorrhiza," said Xu Guorui, a researcher at the XTBG.

The study also proposed key trophic and non-trophic transfer pathway of MNPs along the AG-BG food webs, which could potentially impact biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality.

Furthermore, the researchers emphasized the urgent need for further studies on terrestrial ecosystems to comprehensively assess the ecological impacts of MNPs and to formulate strategies to mitigate their effects on plants and their interconnected food webs.

(Cover: MNPs turn up in wild animal feces in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, September 1, 2024. /CFP)