Microplastics alter the leaf litter breakdown rates and the decomposer community in subtropical lentic microhabitats.

Microplastics, pervasive pollutants in aquatic environments, have been primarily studied for their impact on marine ecosystems. However, their effects on freshwater systems, particularly in forested phytotelmata habitats, remain understudied in Subtropical systems. This research examines the influence of varying microplastic concentrations (0.

Less is more: partial larvicidal efficacy of plant leachate leads to larger mosquitoes.

Major efforts to control the population of mosquitoes involve the use of synthetic insecticides, which can be harmful to the environment. Most plant compounds are eco-friendly and some of them have biocontrol potential, whereas a fraction of these compounds is released into the environment through the leaf-leaching process. We evaluated the effects of secondary compounds from and senescent leaf leachates on larval mortality, adult emergence time, and wing size using a microcosm approach.

Effect of the Association and Evaluation of the Induction to Adaptation of the (+)-α-pinene with Commercial Antimicrobials against Strains of Escherichia coli.

Background: The increasing and inappropriate use of antibiotics has increased the number of multidrug-resistant microorganisms to these drugs, causing the emergence of infections that are difficult to control and manage by health professionals. As an alternative to combat these pathogens, some monoterpenes have harmful effects on the bacterial cell membrane, showing themselves as an alternative in combating microorganisms. Therefore, the positive enantiomer α -pinene becomes an alternative to fight bacteria, since it was able to inhibit the growth of the species Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, demonstrating the possibility of its use as an isolated antimicrobial or associated with other drugs.