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Related Concept Videos

Plant Hormones

Plant Hormones

Plant hormones—or phytohormones—are chemical molecules that modulate one or more physiological processes of a plant. In animals, hormones are often produced in specific glands and circulated via the circulatory system. However, plants lack hormone-producing glands.

Tonicity in Plants

Tonicity in Plants

Tonicity describes the capacity of a cell to lose or gain water. It depends on the quantity of solute that does not penetrate the membrane. Tonicity delimits the magnitude and direction of osmosis and results in three possible scenarios that alter the volume of a cell: hypertonicity, hypotonicity, and isotonicity. Due to differences in structure and physiology, tonicity of plant cells is different from that of animal cells in some scenarios.

Plant Cell Wall

Plant Cell Wall

The plant cell wall gives plant cells shape, support, and protection. As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to the cell type. For example, the parenchyma cells of leaves possess only a thin, primary cell wall.

Plant Cells and Tissues

Plant Cells and Tissues

Plant tissues are collections of similar cells performing related functions. Different plant tissues will have their own specialized roles and can be combined with other tissues to form organs such as flowers, fruit, stem, and leaves. Two major types of plant tissue include meristematic and permanent tissue.

Plant Breeding and Biotechnology

Plant Breeding and Biotechnology

Crop cultivation has a long history in human civilization, with records showing the cultivation of cereal plants beginning at around 8000 BC. This early plant breeding was developed primarily to provide a steady supply of food.

Meristems and Plant Growth

Meristems and Plant Growth

Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils

Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils

Published on: March 21, 2025

Microplastic effects on plants.

Matthias C Rillig^1,2, Anika Lehmann^1,2, A Abel de Souza Machado^1,2

¹Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, 14195, Germany.

The New Phytologist

|March 19, 2019

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Microplastics impact soil ecosystems, affecting plant growth through various mechanisms. Future research should explore these pathways and their effects on plant communities.

Keywords:

global change microplastic nanoplastic plant community plant-microbial interactions pollution roots soil structure

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Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Ecology
Soil Science

Background:

Research on microplastic effects has historically focused on aquatic systems.
Emerging evidence shows microplastics impact soil physical properties and soil biota.
Consequences for plant performance in terrestrial ecosystems remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose and discuss mechanistic pathways through which microplastics can affect plant growth.
To highlight the variability of these effects based on plant species and plastic type.
To provide a framework for future research on microplastic impacts in terrestrial environments.

Main Methods:

Conceptual analysis and discussion of potential mechanistic pathways.
Literature review of existing studies on microplastic-soil-plant interactions.
Development of a theoretical framework to guide future empirical research.

Main Results:

Identified potential positive and negative mechanistic pathways for microplastic influence on plant growth.
Emphasized that microplastic effects are contingent on plant species and plastic characteristics.
Predicted that these effects could alter plant community composition and primary production.

Conclusions:

Microplastics pose a potential threat to plant performance in terrestrial ecosystems.
Understanding the specific mechanisms is crucial for predicting ecological consequences.
The proposed framework will aid in directing future investigations into this critical environmental issue.