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The Impact of Microplastics on Soil Invertebrates
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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.
As a result of plastic pollution and intentional use of plastics in agriculture, small plastic particles called microplastics (<1 mm) are commonly found in soils [...]
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This review analyzed the available literature on how soil-dwelling animals respond to microplastics and found evidence of uptake, bioaccumulation, and harmful effects across many groups including earthworms, springtails, and beetles. Most studies used high concentrations not yet found in real soils, limiting conclusions about current environmental risks.
Interaction of Invertebrates and Synthetic Polymers in Soil: A Review
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This review summarizes how microplastics in soil harm invertebrates including nematodes, springtails, and earthworms, while some soil animals can fragment or ingest and transport plastic particles. The presence of microplastics in soil disrupts the gut function of soil organisms that play critical roles in maintaining healthy, productive soils.
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This accessible review explains how different types of soil invertebrates — including earthworms, springtails, and mites — encounter and respond to microplastic contamination in soils. It highlights how these tiny animals, which are vital for nutrient cycling and soil health, are affected by the growing presence of plastic particles in terrestrial ecosystems.
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This review pulls together existing research showing that tiny plastic particles in farm soil are messing with the behavior and health of earthworms, beetles, ants, and other small creatures that keep soil fertile and functioning. This matters because these invertebrates are essential for growing our food — if microplastics disrupt them, it could hurt soil health and crop production long before we even consider how these plastics might affect the food we eat directly.
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This review pulls together existing research showing that tiny plastic particles in farmland soil are messing with earthworms, ants, beetles, and other small creatures that keep soil healthy — changing how they eat, move, and reproduce. That matters because these invertebrates are essential for breaking down organic matter and keeping soil fertile, so widespread microplastic pollution could weaken the soil systems that grow our food, with ripple effects on farming and, ultimately, what ends up on our plates.
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