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Biodegradable microplastic type and wheat-straw addition shape soil CO₂ emissions: links to dissolved organic matter turnover and microbial carbon allocation
Summary
Scientists studying "biodegradable" plastics (marketed as eco-friendly alternatives to regular plastic) found that these materials don't just disappear harmlessly in soil, they actually change how soil bacteria break down organic matter and release CO₂, especially when mixed with crop leftovers like wheat straw. This matters because it shows that switching to biodegradable plastics isn't automatically better for the environment; it can alter soil health and carbon cycling in ways we're still working to understand, which has ripple effects on the food we grow and the climate we all depend on.
Biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) are increasingly recognized as important factors affecting soil carbon cycling. However, how BMP-induced changes in respiration relate to dissolved organic matter (DOM) transformation and microbial carbon use under crop-residue addition remains poorly resolve...