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Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Residual Film in Soil Profile under Continuous Film Mulching
Summary
Eight years of continuous plastic mulch film use on Chinese farmland steadily increased the number of plastic fragments in soil, with smaller pieces migrating progressively deeper over time even as total plastic mass slowly declined. The finding that fragments accumulate below 10 cm — beyond the reach of most tillage — highlights how agricultural microplastic pollution can become entrenched and difficult to remediate.
Plastic pollution in farmland soil has become a significant concern for scientists studying farmland ecosystems. However, the current research focus on the environmental impacts of plastics in soil overlooks crucial factors such as sources, distribution, and persistence. In this study, we examined the distribution of residual film after eight years of film mulching in mid-April 2018. We also assessed changes in spatial distribution from 2018 to 2020. Our findings reveal that eight years of film mulching significantly increased the quantity of agricultural mulch film residues in the soil. The size of residual film fragments varied from 0.25 cm2 to 109 cm2, and the average size, number, and quantity of residues were influenced by soil depth. There was a noticeable downward trend in the quantity of agricultural mulch film residues, decreasing annually by 0.525 kg·ha−1. In contrast, the number of residual films showed an average annual growth rate of 2.13 × 105 p·ha−1. Importantly, we observed a substantial accumulation of residual film fragments below the 10 cm soil layer over time. Fragments ranging from 1–5 cm2 were the most abundant and gradually accumulated in deeper soil layers, enhancing mulching film recovery efficiency. This study provides valuable insights into the influence of mulch cycles on farmland soil profiles, identifying the key locations and size-to-shape ratios of residual films. These findings serve as a theoretical foundation for implementing effective measures to control mulch film pollution in agricultural practices.