Spatial heterogeneity of microbial community structure and its environmental drivers in surface sediments of Erhai Lake.

As a crucial plateau freshwater lake in Yunnan Province, China, Erhai Lake exhibits distinct environmental heterogeneity driven by its unique watershed characteristics and human activities, significantly influencing sediment microbial communities. This study investigated the spatial relationships between environmental factors and microbial community structures in surface sediments from the eastern, western, and northern shores using redundancy analysis (RDA) and Spearman correlation analysis. Results revealed that pH, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total organic carbon (TOC), and redox potential (Eh) were key drivers of microbial community divergence.

Microbial community shifts drive biodegradable microplastic inhibition of seed germination in plateau wetlands.

This study elucidates the mechanistic role of microplastic (MPs)-induced microbial shifts in suppressing soil seed bank functionality within plateau wetlands. A greenhouse soil pot experiment was designed to examine the impact of varying MPs particle sizes and concentrations. The findings revealed that the group treated with biodegradable MPs (polybutylene succinate-PBS) exhibited the most potent inhibition of seed germination.

Bioremediation of microplastics in freshwater environments: A systematic review of biofilm culture, degradation mechanisms, and analytical methods.

Microplastics, defined as particles <5 mm in diameter, are emerging environmental pollutants that pose a threat to ecosystems and human health. Biofilm degradation of microplastics may be an ecologically friendly approach. This review systematically summarises the factors affecting biofilm degradation of microplastics and proposes feasible methods to improve the efficiency of microplastic biofilm degradation.