Bastian Liese (Universität Bielefeld)
Bastian Liese's Master thesis was awarded with the Prize for the Best Plant Science Master Thesis, which was carried out at Bielefeld University in the year 2023 with the title:
Effects of microplastics on plant quality traits of Brassica oleracea var. sabauda
This study shows the importance of plastic type, particle size and concentration on the uptake and effects of microplastics on plant traits.
The contamination of soils with microplastics and the resulting effects on terrestrial ecosystems and plants are major concerns of the 21st century.
Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate effects of contamination of the soil substrate with polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics differing in particle size and concentration on different plant traits using the crop plant Brassica oleracea var. sabauda. PS particles were additionally recorded in B. oleracea var. sabauda seedlings using coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy.
Plastic type, particle size and concentration showed distinct effects on certain plant traits. The rate of assimilation and transpiration tended to differ depending on plastic type and size class. Overall amino acid composition and concentrations in the leaves were likewise not affected, but the leucine concentration was significantly increased in the microplastic-exposed plants.
The effects of microplastic exposure could have far-reaching consequences for terrestrial ecosystems. The exposure of B. oleracea var. sabauda to microplastics showed in this study a stress response. Due to the ubiquity of microplastics, further research on their impact is necessary to assess their importance for ecosystems, agriculture and human health.
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Bastian Liese conducted this work at the Faculty of Biology at Bielefeld University in the working group for chemical ecology led by Prof Dr Caroline Müller.
