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Influence of biodegradable microplastics on soil carbon cycling: Insights from soil respiration, enzyme activity, carbon use efficiency and microbial community
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Researchers investigated how biodegradable microplastics affect carbon cycling in soil by measuring respiration, enzyme activity, and microbial communities over 64 days. They found that certain biodegradable plastics, particularly polyhydroxyalkanoates, dramatically increased soil carbon emissions by up to 665% and significantly altered microbial community structure. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics can substantially disrupt soil ecosystem processes when they break down into microplastic-sized particles.
The rising prevalence of biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) in soils has raised concerns about their impacts on soil ecosystems and carbon cycling. This study investigates the effects of different BMPs on soil carbon cycling, focusing on soil respiration, enzyme activities, and carbon use efficiency (CUE) from C-labeled dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in an upland soil. The BMPs tested were polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and polylactic acid (PLA), at high (H, 1% w/w) and low (L, 0.1% w/w) concentrations. Over a 64-day incubation, cumulative CO emissions increased in the PHA_L, PHA_H, and PLA_H treatments, with the highest rise of 665% PHA_H treatment. Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) ranged from 97.73 ± 3.03 mg C kg⁻ in the control to 223.09 ± 7.91 mg C kg⁻ in PHA_H, with microbial CUE peaking at 0.26 in PHA_H. Enzymatic activities were notably affected: β-glucosidase (BG) increased by 50% in PLA_H, while cellobiohydrolase (CBH) activity decreased by up to 62% in PBAT_H and PLA_L. N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) and phosphatase (AP) activities were highest in PHA_H, indicating enhanced nutrient cycling. Microbial community structure based on PLFAs was significantly altered, with total PLFA content increasing by 191% in PHA_H. Correlation analysis and partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) revealed that BMP concentration, DOC content, and microbial diversity were positively correlated with microbial CUE. This study highlights the significant role of BMPs in influencing soil carbon cycling, primarily through their effects on microbial diversity and soil enzyme activities.
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Microplastics alter soil carbon cycling: Effects on carbon storage, CO 2 and CH 4 emission and microbial community
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This systematic review examines how microplastics in soil affect carbon cycling, including greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage. The effects depend heavily on plastic type and size, with biodegradable plastics generally having a bigger impact. Understanding these soil-level changes matters because disrupted carbon cycles can worsen climate change, which in turn affects the food and water systems we all depend on.
Microplastic effects on carbon cycling in terrestrial soil ecosystems: Storage, formation, mineralization, and microbial mechanisms
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Microplastics in soil contribute to organic carbon storage through degradation and leaching, but also disrupt carbon cycling by altering plant growth, litter decomposition, and microbial activity. The net effect on soil CO2 and CH4 emissions varies depending on how microplastics reshape microbial community structure and enzyme activity.
Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics affect carbon cycling processes in soils, including their influence on microbial activity, plant growth, and litter decomposition. Since microplastics are themselves carbon-based materials, they can directly alter soil carbon stocks while also indirectly shifting microbial communities. The study calls for a major research effort to understand the widespread effects of microplastics on soil functioning and terrestrial ecosystem health.
The Structural and Functional Responses of Rhizosphere Bacteria to Biodegradable Microplastics in the Presence of Biofertilizers
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Researchers studied how biodegradable microplastics interact with biofertilizers in crop soils and found that even though biodegradable plastics are designed as greener alternatives, they still significantly altered soil bacterial communities and disrupted carbon metabolism pathways. The findings suggest that biodegradable microplastics may affect soil health differently than conventional plastics, but are not necessarily harmless.
Polyethylene microplastics distinctly affect soil microbial community and carbon and nitrogen cycling during plant litter decomposition
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Researchers measured how polyethylene microplastics affect soil microbial communities and carbon cycling in agricultural soils, finding that microplastic addition shifted microbial diversity and suppressed key carbon mineralization processes. The results suggest microplastic accumulation in farmland could impair soil carbon storage.
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