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Plastic Mulching Residue Reshapes the Plastisphere Microenvironment and Impacts Soil Multifunctionality
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A field experiment with rapeseed plants compared soil directly touching leftover plastic mulch film to soil near plant roots. Soil touching the plastic had different acidity, moisture, and nutrient levels, along with fewer types of bacteria and fungi, and showed reduced overall soil function compared to root-zone soil.
Polyethylene agricultural mulching films can increase crop yields; however, long-term residue leads to the accumulation of plastic fragments and microplastics in soil, threatening soil health and food security. In this study, we conducted a field-simulated experiment in a rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) system to compare plastisphere and rhizosphere soils with respect to soil properties, soil multifunctionality (MF), and bacterial and fungal community characteristics. Our results indicate that compared with the rhizosphere, the plastisphere exhibited a significantly higher pH and lower water content. In addition, inorganic nitrogen, dissolved organic nitrogen, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, net nitrogen mineralization rate, and available phosphorus were all lower in the plastisphere, while total carbon was higher. These nutrient availability shifts translated directly into ecosystem function. Soil MF was substantially lower in the plastisphere than in the rhizosphere (p < 0.001). Both bacterial and fungal richness and diversity (Chao1 and Shannon indices) were markedly reduced in the plastisphere (p < 0.01). The plastisphere also showed reduced microbial diversity and richness in both bacteria and fungi (Chao1 and Shannon indices, p < 0.01), with strong compartmental separation across communities (bacteria R2 = 0.85; fungi R2 = 0.78; p < 0.01) and simplified co-occurrence network cohesion. Random forest analyses indicated that fungal community traits were more important than bacterial traits in predicting MF. Overall, residual mulching film drives nutrient limitation and restructures microbial interaction networks, leading to decreased soil multifunctionality and potential downstream impacts on nutrient cycling and plant nutrient supply.
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Researchers studied how leftover plastic film in farmland creates a unique microbial environment called a plastisphere, where different bacteria and fungi colonize compared to the surrounding soil. The plastic surfaces attracted more pathogens and bacteria involved in nitrogen and sulfur cycling, potentially increasing nutrient loss from agricultural soil. This finding is concerning because it suggests microplastic contamination in farmland does not just sit there passively but actively changes the soil ecosystem in ways that could affect crop health and food safety.
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Researchers tested the effects of low-density polyethylene and biodegradable mulch film residues on soil disease suppressiveness, plant growth, and microbial communities. They found that while 1% plastic residues did not affect the soil's ability to suppress Fusarium disease, plant biomass decreased and nutrient status changed in the presence of plastic. Notably, the microbial communities on the plastic surfaces (the plastisphere) were distinct from those in the rhizosphere and included potential plant pathogens like Rhizoctonia.
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Researchers tested how microplastics shed from agricultural plastic mulch films affect soil bacteria that promote plant growth, finding that mulch-derived microplastics reduced the abundance and activity of key plant growth-promoting bacteria. The results suggest agricultural plastic use could undermine soil health and crop productivity.
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Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics from agricultural films affect the microbial communities in crop root zones (rhizosphere), finding shifts in bacterial diversity and function. Disrupting soil microbiomes through microplastic contamination could have downstream effects on soil fertility and crop health.
Plastic Film Residue Reshaped Protist Communities and Induced Soil Nutrient Deficiency Under Field Conditions
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Researchers conducted a field experiment to examine how long-term plastic mulch film residues affect soil microorganisms and nutrient cycling. They found that plastic residues significantly reduced the diversity of protist communities, which play key roles in soil health, and led to deficiencies in soil moisture, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The study underscores that agricultural plastic waste creates lasting negative effects on soil ecosystems well beyond its intended use.
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