We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Polyethylene and Polylactic Acid Microplastics Reshape Soil Phosphorus Cycling by Modulating Microbial Function and Aggregate Stability in Maize‐Growing Soil
Original title: Polyethylene and Polylactic Acid Microplastics Reshape Soil Phosphorus Cycling by Modulating Microbial Function and Aggregate Stability in Maize‐Growing Soil
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from farm plastics and packaging waste—both regular plastic (polyethylene) and "biodegradable" plastic (PLA)—are building up in soil and messing with how crops get phosphorus, an essential nutrient plants need to grow. In this study, both types of microplastics reduced available phosphorus in soil and stunted corn growth, even though the plastics also changed soil structure and shifted which microbes were present. This matters because it suggests that even "eco-friendly" plastics aren't necessarily harmless to farmland, and disruptions to soil health could eventually affect crop yields and food production
ABSTRACT Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as pervasive soil contaminants with the potential to disrupt soil biogeochemical processes and ecosystem functioning. Phosphorus (P), an essential yet often limiting nutrient in agroecosystems, may be sensitive to MPs inputs, while the mechanisms governing MPs‐induced alterations in soil P‐cycling remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a pot experiment to evaluate the impacts of polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA) MPs (at 0.1% and 1%, w/w) on maize ( Zea mays L.) growth, soil aggregate structure, microbial community assembly, and the expression of functional genes associated with P‐cycling. Both PE and PLA MPs consistently suppressed maize growth and reduced the contents of available P (by 7.0%~28.0%) and microbial biomass P (by 10.7%~46.7%). MPs addition promoted the transformation of middle macroaggregates into large macroaggregates and improved soil aggregate stability. MPs also induced a functional reassembly of the soil microbial community, characterized by the selective enrichment of specific bacterial ( Actinomycetota and Pseudomonadota ) and fungal ( Basidiomycota and Ascomycota ) taxa. In response to MPs‐induced P starvation, microbial communities exhibited enhanced organic P mineralization, with increases of 20.3%~44.9% in associated functional potential. Multivariate analyses identified microbial community diversity, plant growth performance, and soil aggregate stability as potential factors associated with soil P‐cycling under MPs exposure. Results of this study provide mechanistic insights into how MPs alter soil P‐cycling through coupled changes in microbial functioning and soil structure in agroecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Conventional and Biodegradable Microplastics Both Impair Soil Phosphorus Cycling and Availability via Microbial Suppression
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted a 150-day experiment comparing the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on soil phosphorus cycling. Both types of microplastics reduced available phosphorus by approximately 15% and suppressed key phosphorus-cycling bacteria and enzyme activity. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are environmentally benign, showing they disrupt soil nutrient cycles similarly to conventional plastics.
Biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics affect nutrient cycling during the entire crop growth cycle: Implications for soil ecosystem multifunctionality
AI summary Read the abstract
"Biodegradable" plastics, often marketed as an eco-friendly alternative, still disrupt soil health when they break down into microplastics in farm fields, according to new research. Scientists found these particles threw off the balance of soil bacteria and nutrients over an entire corn growing season—boosting carbon but reducing nitrogen and phosphorus, key nutrients crops need to grow. Since soil health directly affects crop quality and the food we eat, this suggests "biodegradable" plastics used in farming (like mulch films) may not be as harmless as assumed and deserve more scrutiny before widespread use.
ConventionalandBiodegradable Microplastics BothImpair Soil Phosphorus Cycling and Availability via Microbial Suppression
AI summary Read the abstract
This 150-day soil incubation study compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics affect microbially-mediated phosphorus cycling. Both MP types suppressed phosphorus-cycling microbial activity, reducing soil phosphorus availability — with biodegradable PLA showing comparable disruption to conventional PE.
Polypropylene microplastics exacerbate microbial phosphorus limitation and disrupt organ-specific nutrient homeostasis in maize-soil systems
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from common plastics like polypropylene (found in packaging and textiles) are building up in farm soil, and this study found they throw off the balance of nutrients that crops need, particularly phosphorus. A little plastic contamination actually helped corn seedlings grow bigger roots, but higher amounts stunted growth overall—suggesting there's a tipping point where microplastic pollution starts harming crops. Since phosphorus and other nutrients are essential for plant health and our food supply, this research is an early warning sign that ongoing plastic pollution in farmland could eventually affect crop yields and the nut
Effects of microplastic properties and dissolved organic matter on phosphorus availability in soil and aqueous mediums
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how different types of microplastics from agricultural mulching films affect phosphorus availability in soil and water. They found that both conventional plastics like polyethylene and biodegradable plastics like polylactic acid significantly reduced available phosphorus in soil, with smaller and more concentrated particles causing the greatest reductions. The study suggests that microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils may impair nutrient availability for crops.
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.