Nanoparticles alter the nature and strength of intraploidy and interploidy interactions in plants

Abstract Engineered nanoparticles have profound impacts on organisms, yet there is limited understanding of how nanoparticle exposure shapes species interactions that are key to natural community dynamics. By growing plants of the same (intraploidy) and different ploidy levels (interploidy) of Fraga...

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Main Authors: Elizabeth A. Esser, Jiaqi Tan, Na Wei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96646-8
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author Elizabeth A. Esser
Jiaqi Tan
Na Wei
author_facet Elizabeth A. Esser
Jiaqi Tan
Na Wei
author_sort Elizabeth A. Esser
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Engineered nanoparticles have profound impacts on organisms, yet there is limited understanding of how nanoparticle exposure shapes species interactions that are key to natural community dynamics. By growing plants of the same (intraploidy) and different ploidy levels (interploidy) of Fragaria in axenic microcosms, we examined the influence of nanoparticles on species interactions in polyploid and diploid plants. Under copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticle exposure, polyploids experienced reduced competition and a shift towards facilitation, when growing with both polyploids (the effect of polyploids on polyploids measured by the relative interaction index, RII8x,8x ) and diploids (the effect of diploids on polyploids, RII8x,2x ). This reduction in competitive interactions in polyploids, in line with the stress gradient hypothesis, was primarily driven by nanoscale effects. In contrast, the strength of competitive interactions (RII8x,8× and RII8x,2x ) increased under CuO bulk particles compared to control conditions. Different from polyploids, diploids experienced neutral interactions (RII2x,2x and RII2x,8x ) under both nanoparticles and bulk particles. These findings highlight ploidy-specific interaction dynamics and the need to consider species interactions when predicting organismal responses to nanoparticle pollution in ecological communities, providing critical insights for conservation strategies and sustainable nanotechnology applications.
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spelling doaj-art-a4b1370fe7504cb68d162b0cb5c02ec22025-08-20T02:27:53ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-011511910.1038/s41598-025-96646-8Nanoparticles alter the nature and strength of intraploidy and interploidy interactions in plantsElizabeth A. Esser0Jiaqi Tan1Na Wei2State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Biological Sciences, Louisianan State UniversityState Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Engineered nanoparticles have profound impacts on organisms, yet there is limited understanding of how nanoparticle exposure shapes species interactions that are key to natural community dynamics. By growing plants of the same (intraploidy) and different ploidy levels (interploidy) of Fragaria in axenic microcosms, we examined the influence of nanoparticles on species interactions in polyploid and diploid plants. Under copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticle exposure, polyploids experienced reduced competition and a shift towards facilitation, when growing with both polyploids (the effect of polyploids on polyploids measured by the relative interaction index, RII8x,8x ) and diploids (the effect of diploids on polyploids, RII8x,2x ). This reduction in competitive interactions in polyploids, in line with the stress gradient hypothesis, was primarily driven by nanoscale effects. In contrast, the strength of competitive interactions (RII8x,8× and RII8x,2x ) increased under CuO bulk particles compared to control conditions. Different from polyploids, diploids experienced neutral interactions (RII2x,2x and RII2x,8x ) under both nanoparticles and bulk particles. These findings highlight ploidy-specific interaction dynamics and the need to consider species interactions when predicting organismal responses to nanoparticle pollution in ecological communities, providing critical insights for conservation strategies and sustainable nanotechnology applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96646-8CompetitionCopper oxide nanoparticlesFacilitationFragariaPolyploidyStress gradient hypothesis
spellingShingle Elizabeth A. Esser
Jiaqi Tan
Na Wei
Nanoparticles alter the nature and strength of intraploidy and interploidy interactions in plants
Scientific Reports
Competition
Copper oxide nanoparticles
Facilitation
Fragaria
Polyploidy
Stress gradient hypothesis
title Nanoparticles alter the nature and strength of intraploidy and interploidy interactions in plants
title_full Nanoparticles alter the nature and strength of intraploidy and interploidy interactions in plants
title_fullStr Nanoparticles alter the nature and strength of intraploidy and interploidy interactions in plants
title_full_unstemmed Nanoparticles alter the nature and strength of intraploidy and interploidy interactions in plants
title_short Nanoparticles alter the nature and strength of intraploidy and interploidy interactions in plants
title_sort nanoparticles alter the nature and strength of intraploidy and interploidy interactions in plants
topic Competition
Copper oxide nanoparticles
Facilitation
Fragaria
Polyploidy
Stress gradient hypothesis
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96646-8
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AT jiaqitan nanoparticlesalterthenatureandstrengthofintraploidyandinterploidyinteractionsinplants
AT nawei nanoparticlesalterthenatureandstrengthofintraploidyandinterploidyinteractionsinplants