Investigation of Soil-Dwelling Bacterial Community Changes Induced by Microplastic Ex posure Using Amplicon Sequencing

Microplastics are emerging as a significant threat to terrestrial ecosystems, yet their impact on soil microbial communities remains insufficiently understood. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate how microplastics in soil and plants affect changes in soil-dwelling bacterial communities. For this purpose, Arabidopsis thaliana was grown in microplastic-containing soil, and DNA extraction and amplicon sequencing were performed on both the control and experimental groups to analyze taxonomy level and α/β diversity. The results revealed that microplastics may negatively affect the relative abundance of Cyanobacteriota, while interactions between microplastics and plants led to a reduction in the relative abundance of Pseudomonadota, a sharp increase in Bacillota, and a significant decline in CPR(Candidate Phyla Radiation). Notably, CPR was abundantly detected in the study, suggesting potential ecological sensitivity to microplastic-plant interactions. These findings highlight the complex and indirect pathways through which microplastics influence soil microbial dynamics. α/β diversity analysis further validated the reliability of the observed community shifts. Continued investigation into the interactions between microplastics, plants, and soil microbiota is essential to understanding the broader ecological consequences and informing sustainable environmental management strategies. Additionally, further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of microplastic contamination on soil health and its potential impact on ecosystem services.