Microplastics are emerging environmental pollutants that pose a significant threat to biological safety in forest ecosystems. To investigate the occurrence characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics in the environment of Xiaobeihu National Nature Reserve in Heilongjiang, this study focused on three environmental media, soil, water, and atmosphere, examining the abundance, size, shape, composition, and distribution of microplastics. Additionally, the pollution load index (PLI) was used to assess the ecological risk of microplastics. The results showed that the average abundance of microplastics in soil, water, and atmosphere in Xiaobeihu Nature Reserve were (5.44 ± 3.36) items/g, (4.60 ± 5.55) items/L, and (7.50 ± 4.20) items/m3, respectively. Areas with higher abundance of microplastics in soil and atmosphere were mainly distributed in the western and southern parts of the reserve. The abundance of microplastics in soil in the core area of the reserve was significantly lower than that in the buffer and experimental areas (P < 0.05). The average particle sizes of microplastics in soil, water, and atmosphere were (43.07 ± 36.96) μm, (53.24 ± 36.86) μm, and (47.60 ± 27.33) μm, respectively. Microplastics in the size range of 20–50 μm dominated in all environmental media. The main shapes of microplastics were particles and fragments, accounting for 56.24% and 41.11%, respectively. Its composition indicates human activities and transportation as potential pollution sources. The primary polymer types were polyamide (PA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), fluororubber (FKM), and fluorosilicone rubber (FVMQ). Its composition indicates human activities and transportation as potential pollution sources. The abundance of microplastics in water showed a negative correlation with the activity of hoofed animals (r = -0.67), but this was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The pollution load index for the study area was 1.8, indicating a low ecological risk of microplastic pollution. These findings provide a scientific basis for microplastic pollution prevention and biodiversity conservation in Xiaobeihu Nature Reserve.
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