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Dataset for: Biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics drive divergent microbial carbon and nitrogen metabolism regimes in soil-plant systems
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This study analyzed data from many experiments to compare how two types of microplastics—biodegradable ("compostable" plastics) and traditional non-biodegradable plastics—affect soil health, finding that they change the way soil microbes cycle carbon and nitrogen in different ways. Since healthy soil microbes are essential for growing food and keeping ecosystems stable, this matters because it suggests that "eco-friendly" biodegradable plastics aren't necessarily a worry-free swap—they can disrupt soil in their own distinct way rather than simply being a safer alternative.
This archive contains the extracted dataset used for the meta-analysis associated with the manuscript entitled: “Biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics drive divergent microbial carbon and nitrogen metabolism regimes in soil-plant systems“. The dataset includes study information, experimental conditions, moderator classifications, and response variables used for effect size calculations and statistical analyses.
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Dataset for: Biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics drive divergent microbial carbon and nitrogen metabolism regimes in soil-plant systems
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This dataset (used in a related study) compares how two types of tiny plastic particles — "biodegradable" plastics and regular plastics — affect soil health in different ways, particularly how soil microbes process carbon and nitrogen, which plants need to grow. This matters because "biodegradable" plastics aren't necessarily a safe swap for regular plastic; they can disrupt soil ecosystems differently, which could affect the food we grow. Note: this specific entry is a data archive, not the full study, so it doesn't include the detailed findings themselves — those are in the related research paper.
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This study compared how conventional and biodegradable microplastics affect soil microbes over long time periods and found that both types significantly changed soil microbial communities and disrupted carbon and nitrogen cycling after extended exposure. Biodegradable plastics, often marketed as eco-friendly, actually released more chemical byproducts than conventional plastics, which matters because these soil changes can affect the food we grow.
Distinct influence of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on microbe-driving nitrogen cycling processes in soils and plastispheres as evaluated by metagenomic analysis
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Researchers compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics affect nitrogen cycling by soil microbes. They found that biodegradable microplastics caused stronger changes to microbial communities and nitrogen processing pathways than conventional plastics, particularly by enriching certain bacteria on their surfaces. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastic mulch alternatives may significantly alter soil nutrient cycling in agricultural settings.
Insights into soil microbial assemblages and nitrogen cycling function responses to conventional and biodegradable microplastics
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Researchers compared how biodegradable polylactic acid and conventional PVC microplastics affect soil bacteria and nitrogen cycling processes. They found that both types of microplastics altered microbial communities, but biodegradable plastics had distinct effects on nitrogen-processing bacteria and did not simply behave as a harmless alternative. The study suggests that switching to biodegradable plastics may change rather than eliminate the impact of microplastic contamination on soil health.
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Scientists compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics affect soil microbial communities and carbon cycling. Researchers found that the two types of microplastics had markedly different effects, with biodegradable plastics causing more changes to microbial community structure and carbon-related gene activity. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics, while designed to be more environmentally friendly, may still significantly alter soil biology.
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