The Impact of Microplastics on Soil Invertebrates

Summary

Microplastics have been detected throughout soils worldwide, and this editorial review summarises growing evidence that soil invertebrates — including earthworms, springtails, and beetles — ingest, accumulate, and are harmed by microplastic particles. Effects range from physical gut damage and reduced feeding to reproductive impairment, with cascading risks to soil health, nutrient cycling, and the broader food web. This matters because soil invertebrates are keystone organisms; harm to them can degrade the agricultural and ecological services that soils provide.