We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The Effect of Microplastics on Soil Microbial Activity, Biomass, and Microbial Community Structure in Three Types of Temperate Forest
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in forest soil can shift the balance of microorganisms living there, favoring bacteria over fungi and reducing the total amount of microbial life when the plastic pieces are especially small. Since these soil microbes play a key role in breaking down nutrients and keeping forest ecosystems healthy, this suggests that widespread microplastic pollution could quietly disrupt the natural systems that support clean soil, water, and the food chain we ultimately depend on.
Microplastic pollution is a problem of global concern, but its effects on forest soils are largely overlooked. This study is based on a laboratory experiment where the effects of soil-added polyethylene microplastic particles (MP-) of two sizes (60 μm and 140 μm) (Cospheric LLC, USA) were measured to examine their effects on three types of temperate forest: dry pine forest, beech-dominated forest, and ash-dominated riparian forest that differ greatly in several physicochemical and biological soil properties. The addition of MP- did not significantly alter the respiration rate of any of the forest soils studied (p = 0.6303), as shown by ANOVA. Soil microbial biomass, as measured by the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) method, decreased under 60 µm MP treatment but not under 140 µm MP treatment (p = 0.0094). MP- did affect microbial community structure, especially increasing the proportion of bacteria in the community under 60 µm MP treatment (p = 0.0023). MP- affected the PLFA pattern, as shown by PERMANOVA analysis along with NMDS ordination; the effect was similar in the three studied forest types. As shown by SIMPER analysis, there was a relative decrease in fatty acid 16:1ω7 and a simultaneous increase in 16:0 and 18:0 under both MP treatments. This may potentially serve as an indication of MP pollution in temperate forest soils. Our results suggest that forest soil bacteria, as a group, may benefit from MPs at the expense of fungi, which provides a new perspective on how soil microorganisms interact under globally common MP pollution.
More Papers Like This
The Microplastic Menace: Polymer-Specific Impacts on Bacterial Communities and Carbon Cycling in Temperate Forest Soils
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that tiny plastic bits (microplastics) in forest soil can mess with the bacteria that break down organic matter and cycle carbon, and the type of plastic matters, not just how much is there. This matters because these soil bacteria play a huge role in keeping ecosystems healthy and stable, and disrupting them could ripple out to affect soil fertility, plant growth, and even how much carbon stays trapped in the ground versus released into the air.
Emerging Microplastics Alter the Influences of Soil Animals on the Fungal Community Structure in Determining the Litter Decomposition of a Deciduous Tree
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how microplastics in forest soil affect the interactions between soil animals and fungal communities during leaf litter decomposition. They found that the presence of microplastics altered fungal community structure and disrupted the beneficial influence that soil animals normally have on decomposition processes. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in forest ecosystems could interfere with nutrient cycling by changing how decomposer communities function.
Microplastics indirectly affect soil respiration of different-aged forest by altering microbial communities and carbon metabolism
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers explored how microplastics affect soil respiration in forests of different ages by altering microbial community structure and carbon metabolism. The study found microplastic levels ranging from approximately 600 to 3,858 items per sample across forest ages, and that their presence indirectly influences soil carbon cycling processes.
Interactive Effects of Microplastic Pollution and Global Warming on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in Subtropical Forests
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists studied how tiny plastic particles (microplastics) affect forest soil when combined with warming temperatures, and found that these plastics disrupt how soil processes carbon and nitrogen - key nutrients that keep ecosystems healthy. The plastic pollution made soils more sensitive to temperature changes and altered important chemical cycles that plants depend on for growth. This matters because microplastics are everywhere in our environment, and this research shows they could harm the forest ecosystems that clean our air and water, especially as the planet continues to warm.
Microplastic pollution alters forest soil microbiome
AI summary Read the abstract
The impact of aged low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyester (PET) fibres on forest soil microbiome composition was examined. Microplastic pollution altered forest soil microbial community structure, with both polymer types affecting microbial diversity and function in ways that could influence soil health and nutrient cycling.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.