Attending EGU 2026 was again a valuable opportunity to present my research in an international and interdisciplinary environment. I presented my work on time-resolved bacterial and fungal colonization on polystyrene microplastics in floodplain soils under both laboratory and natural field conditions. The discussions highlighted the importance of combining controlled experiments with natural incubations to better understand microplastic–microbe interactions in soils. Researchers showed particular interest in the temporal dynamics of bacterial and fungal communities on microplastics and the potential role of specific microbial genera in microplastic degradation. I also received useful feedback on extending the study to longer incubation periods and including additional polymer types to better assess microplastic fate in soil ecosystems. The conference provided a great platform to exchange ideas with researchers working on microplastics, soil ecology, and microbial communities, and opened possibilities for future collaborations in microbial degradation and transport studies.
Rizwan Khaleel
PhD student
Institute of Geography
Presentation title (Oral): Time-resolved colonization patterns of bacteria and fungi on polystyrene microplastics in floodplain soils