Mechanisms underpinning microplastic effects on the natural climate solutions of wetland ecosystems

Michael Opoku Adomako; Ling Jin; Changchao Li; Jian Liu; Daniel Adu; Vivian Isabella Seshie; Fei-Hai Yu

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176491

Mechanisms underpinning microplastic effects on the natural climate solutions of wetland ecosystems

Sci Total Environ. 2024 Dec 1:954:176491. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176491. Epub 2024 Sep 27.

Authors

Michael Opoku Adomako¹, Ling Jin², Changchao Li³, Jian Liu⁴, Daniel Adu⁵, Vivian Isabella Seshie⁶, Fei-Hai Yu⁷

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang, China.
² Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
³ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
⁴ Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
⁵ School of Management Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhejiang 212013, Jiangsu, China.
⁶ Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana.
⁷ Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: feihaiyu@126.com.

PMID: 39341239
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176491

Abstract

Wetland ecosystems are vital carbon dioxide (CO₂) sinks, offering significant nature-based solutions for global climate mitigation. However, the recent influx of microplastic (MP) into wetlands substantially impacts key drivers (e.g., plants and microorganisms) underpinning these wetland functions. While MP-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization potentially threaten the long-term wetland C-climate feedbacks, the exact mechanisms and linkage are unclear. This review provides a conceptual framework to elaborate on the interplay between MPs, wetland ecosystems, and the atmospheric milieu. We also summarize published studies that validate possible MP impacts on natural climate solutions of wetlands, as well as provide extensive elaboration on underlying mechanisms. We briefly highlight the relationships between MP influx, wetland degradation, and climate change and conclude by identifying key gaps for future research priorities. Globally, plastic production, MP entry into aquatic systems, and wetland degradation-related emissions are predicted to increase. This means that MP-related emissions and wetland-climate feedback should be addressed in the context of the UN Paris Climate Agreement on net-zero emissions by 2050. This overview serves as a wake-up call on the alarming impacts of MPs on wetland ecosystems and urges a global reconsideration of nature-based solutions in the context of climate mitigation.

Keywords: Aquatic ecosystems; Carbon sequestration; Nature-based solutions; Plastisphere microorganisms; Wetland ecosystems; Wetland microplastics.

Publication types

Review