Microplastics are ubiquitous – in the environment and in the human body. However, accurately detecting these particles poses major challenges for researchers from various disciplines. The authors described the methodological difficulties in the journal and call for more standardized methods in biomonitoring.

Lowlands and plains provide important ecosystem services such as agricultural and forestry production, groundwater recharge, streamflow generation and drinking water supply. This Special Issue collects scientific papers advancing understanding of the mechanisms underlying the movement and storage of water in lowland and plain environments.

The authors tested the impact of simulated ripple migration on two types of river sediment, namely aquatic sediment and incoming soil from eroding riverbanks, and compared them to stationary conditions in a microcosm experiment. Ripple migration influences community dynamics and microbial metabolism and decelerates the colonization of incoming soil from eroding riverbanks.