environmental-restoration
Environmental restoration is the active process of assisting the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or damaged. For plant science, this field is particularly significant because plants form the structural and functional foundation of all ecological communities, making botanical knowledge essential to restoration success. Understanding plant ecology, community assembly, and regeneration mechanisms is critical for restoring biodiversity, ecosystem services, and ecosystem resilience in damaged habitats.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-02-19
Scientists have discovered that bacteria, fungi, and algae can biodegrade common plastics like polyethylene and PET, offering biological solutions to reduce microplastic pollution affecting soil, water, and ecosystems.
Multiple advanced detection methods now available including hyperspectral imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance, and electrochemical biosensors for accurate microplastic identification and characterization
Specific bacterial, fungal, and algal groups capable of degrading polyethylene (PE), PET, polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS)—the most common environmental microplastics
Genomic and enzymatic research identifies key genes and metabolic pathways enabling microbial degradation, enabling future optimization of scalable plastic remediation strategies