A recent study highlights the combined impact of two significant environmental stressors on coastal plants: seawater flooding and microplastic pollution. Published in the journal Environmental Pollution, this research is among the first to investigate how these factors jointly affect coastal plant growth and reproduction.
The study found that both microplastics and flooding individually influenced plant health. Microplastics mainly disrupted reproductive processes, while flooding caused significant tissue damage. However, when combined, these stressors had a more substantial effect, altering plants’ resource allocation, growth patterns, and photosynthetic efficiency. These changes impact the plants’ ability to absorb water, nutrients, and sunlight, vital for ecosystem health.
Conducted by experts from the University of Plymouth’s School of Biological and Marine Sciences and International Marine Litter Research Unit, the study accentuates the elevated risk posed by microplastics when combined with other stressors like seawater flooding. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the threats from multiple simultaneous stressors to ecosystem resilience.
Dr. Winnie Courtene-Jones, the study’s lead author, stated, “This research demonstrates how microplastics, whether conventional or biodegradable, can negatively affect plant functions. Additionally, it shows that their impact can be intensified by environmental factors such as rising sea levels and coastal flooding. This understanding is vital to appreciating the broader ecological harm microplastics can cause.”
Part of the BIO-PLASTIC-RISK project, funded by a £2.6 million grant from the Natural Environment Research Council, the study focused on buck’s horn plantain (Plantago coronopus). This low-growing perennial, native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, thrives in coastal habitats such as sand dunes and beach shingle and is also found in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
Researchers grew plants in soil containing conventional or biodegradable plastics for 35 days, followed by a 72-hour seawater flooding simulation, mimicking storm-induced flooding. The plants were then observed for an additional 24 days to monitor survival, size, photosynthetic efficiency, and flower production.
Dr. Mick Hanley, senior author and Associate Professor in Plant-Animal Interactions, highlighted the broader implications: “Coastal habitats like dunes and grasslands are necessary for protecting communities and supporting biodiversity. This study shows that we must consider environmental threats collectively, as their combined effects can be more severe. With microplastic pollution and coastal flooding expected to increase, ambitious global actions are needed to mitigate these threats.”
This research provides critical insights into the compounded effects of environmental stressors on coastal ecosystems, hinting on the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address these growing challenges.
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