Effects of Microplastics on Growth, Photosynthesis, and Oxidative Stress-Related Traits in Terrestrial Plants: A Global Meta-Analysis.

Jinling Xu, Dongwen Yu, Mufan Liu, Xuehan Zhang, Hangyu Liu, Yuzhen Liu

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Plants (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jinling XuCollege of Geography and Environment, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Risk Prevention and Control, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.

Dongwen YuCollege of Geography and Environment, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Risk Prevention and Control, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.

Mufan LiuCollege of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.

Xuehan ZhangCollege of Geography and Environment, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Risk Prevention and Control, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.

Hangyu LiuCollege of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.

Yuzhen LiuCollege of Geography and Environment, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Risk Prevention and Control, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2020QD130

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) can affect growth, photosynthetic, and oxidative stress-related traits in plants, but the reported effects vary among studies. However, the roles of plant groups, MP characteristics, soil properties, and exposure conditions have not been systematically compared across these three trait groups. We compiled 2613 paired observations from 100 independent studies and combined meta-analysis with random forest modeling to quantify MP effects on the three trait groups and compare the relative importance of candidate predictors. Overall, MPs increased oxidative stress-related traits by 19.92% and reduced photosynthetic and growth traits by 12.87% and 12.31%, respectively. Plant-group differences were trait-specific, with numerically larger root reductions in monocotyledons, a larger numerical decline in shoot fresh biomass in dicotyledons, and stronger POD and SOD responses in monocotyledons. Higher MP concentrations corresponded to larger reductions in several biomass traits and plant height. The effects of particle size were less consistent. Biodegradability showed limited differences across traits, with a significant difference detected only for H

Indexed as

biodegradable microplasticsmicroplasticsplant ecophysiologyplant functional groupsrandom forestsoil properties

Identifiers

PMID42884776

DOI10.3390/plants15192911

PMCPMC13667275

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.