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Polyethylene microplastics alter soil microbial community assembly and ecosystem multifunctionality

Environment International 2023 114 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Ziqiang Liu, Ziqiang Liu, Hui Wei, Zhenxiu Liu, Zhenxiu Liu, Ziqiang Liu, Ziqiang Liu, Zhenxiu Liu, Zhenxiu Liu, Ziqiang Liu, Ziqiang Liu, Jiahao Wen, Jiahao Wen, Zhenxiu Liu, Zhenxiu Liu, Zhenxiu Liu, Zhenxiu Liu, Ziqiang Liu, Ziqiang Liu, Zhenxiu Liu, Jiahao Wen, Hui Wei, Jiaen Zhang Ziqiang Liu, Jiaen Zhang Ziqiang Liu, Jiaen Zhang Jiaen Zhang Jiaen Zhang Jiaen Zhang Jiaen Zhang Zhenxiu Liu, Zhenxiu Liu, Zhenxiu Liu, Ziqiang Liu, Ziqiang Liu, Hui Wei, Hui Wei, Hui Wei, Hui Wei, Ziqiang Liu, Jiaen Zhang Hui Wei, Ziqiang Liu, Jiaen Zhang Jiaen Zhang Jiaen Zhang Jiaen Zhang Jiaen Zhang Hui Wei, Ziqiang Liu, Hui Wei, Jiaen Zhang Hui Wei, Jiaen Zhang

Summary

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics at different concentrations affect soil microbial communities and overall ecosystem function in a maize growing system. They found that higher concentrations of microplastics shifted microbial community composition, reduced beneficial bacteria involved in nutrient cycling, and impaired multiple soil ecosystem functions simultaneously. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can undermine the biological processes that support healthy crop growth.

Polymers

Although pervasive microplastics (MPs) pollution in terrestrial ecosystems invites increasing global concern, impact of MPs on soil microbial community assembly and ecosystem multifunctionality received relatively little attention. Here, we manipulated a mesocosm experiment to investigate how polyethylene MPs (PE MPs; 0, 1%, and 5%, w/w) influence ecosystem functions including plant production, soil quality, microbial community diversity and assembly, enzyme activities in carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling, and multifunctionality in the maize-soil continuum. Results showed that PE MPs exerted negligible effect on plant biomass (dry weight). The treatment of 5% PE MPs caused declines in the availability of soil water, C and P, whereas enhanced soil pH and C storage. The activity of C-cycling enzymes (α/β-1, 4-glucosidase and β-D-cellobiohydrolase) was promoted by 1% PE MPs, while that of β-1, 4-glucosidase was inhibited by 5% PE MPs. The 5% PE MPs reduced the activity of N-cycling enzymes (protease and urease), whereas increased that of the P-cycling enzyme (alkaline phosphatase). The 5% PE MPs shifted soil microbial community composition, and increased the number of specialist species, microbial community stability and networks resistance. Moreover, PE MPs altered microbial community assembly, with 5% treatment decreasing dispersal limitation proportion (from 13.66% to 9.96%). Overall, ecosystem multifunctionality was improved by 1% concentration, while reduced by 5% concentration of PE MPs. The activity of α/β-1, 4-glucosidase, urease and protease, and ammonium-N content were the most important predictors of ecosystem multifunctionality. These results underscore that PE MPs can alter soil microbial community assembly and ecosystem multifunctionality, and thus development and implementation of practicable solutions to control soil MPs pollution become increasingly imperative in sustainable agricultural production.

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