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Tier 2
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Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Environmental Sources
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Earthworms mediate the influence of polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics on soil bacterial communities
The Science of The Total Environment2023
31 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 60
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Yalan Chen,
Robert W. Brown,
Robert W. Brown,
Yalan Chen,
Wei Wang,
Jiapan Lian,
Jiapan Lian,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Wei Wang,
Yalan Chen,
Davey L. Jones,
Robert W. Brown,
Siyuan Lu,
Siyuan Lu,
Siyuan Lu,
Siyuan Lu,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Siyuan Lu,
Siyuan Lu,
Siyuan Lu,
Jiapan Lian,
Jiapan Lian,
Jiapan Lian,
Davey L. Jones,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Jiapan Lian,
Mengya Chen,
Jiahua Hao,
Jiahua Hao,
Siyuan Lu,
Jiahua Hao,
Jiahua Hao,
Siyuan Lu,
Robert W. Brown,
Robert W. Brown,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Hao Yang,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Robert W. Brown,
Robert W. Brown,
Yalan Chen,
Jiapan Lian,
Siyuan Lu,
Davey L. Jones,
Mengya Chen,
Davey L. Jones,
Mengya Chen,
Robert W. Brown,
Robert W. Brown,
Jiapan Lian,
Donghui Wu
Jiapan Lian,
Davey L. Jones,
Yalan Chen,
Mengya Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Jiapan Lian,
Jiapan Lian,
Jiapan Lian,
Donghui Wu
Robert W. Brown,
Wei Wang,
Robert W. Brown,
Wei Wang,
Davey L. Jones,
Donghui Wu
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Yalan Chen,
Davey L. Jones,
Donghui Wu
Davey L. Jones,
Jiapan Lian,
Yalan Chen,
Davey L. Jones,
Robert W. Brown,
Davey L. Jones,
Zhuoma Wan,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Jiapan Lian,
Jiapan Lian,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Donghui Wu
Zhuoma Wan,
Robert W. Brown,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Wei Wang,
Davey L. Jones,
Wei Wang,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Wenjin Chang,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Jiapan Lian,
Zhuoma Wan,
Wenjin Chang,
Zhuoma Wan,
Wei Wang,
Davey L. Jones,
Donghui Wu
Wenjin Chang,
Davey L. Jones,
Wenjin Chang,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Donghui Wu
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Donghui Wu
Summary
Researchers studied how earthworms interact with both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PLA microplastics in soil over 120 days. Both types of microplastics changed the composition of soil bacterial communities, but in different ways, and earthworms appeared to mediate these effects by consuming bacteria or altering soil conditions. The findings show that even biodegradable plastics disrupt soil ecosystems, and that soil organisms play a complex role in how microplastics affect the underground environment.
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that both biodegradable and conventional (non-degradable) microplastics (MP) are hazardous to soil health by affecting the delivery of key ecological functions such as litter decomposition, nutrient cycling and water retention. Specifically, soil fauna may be harmed by the presence of MPs while also being involved in their disintegration, degradation, migration and transfer in soil. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between MPs and soil fauna is essential. Here, we conducted a 120-day soil microcosm experiment applying polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA), in the absence/presence of the earthworm Eisenia nordenskioldi to estimate the relative singular and combined impact of MPs and earthworms on the soil bacterial community. Our findings revealed contrasting effects of PE and PLA on the composition and diversity of soil bacteria. All treatments affected the community and network structure of the soil bacterial community. Compared to the control (no MPs or earthworms), PE decreased bacterial alpha diversity, while PLA increased it. Patescibacteria were found to be significantly abundant in the PE group whereas Actinobacteria and Gemmatimonadetes were more abundant in PE, and PLA and earthworms groups. The presence of earthworms appeared to mediate the impact of PE/PLA on soil bacteria, potentially through bacterial consumption or by altering soil properties (e.g., pH, aeration, C availability). Earthworm presence also appeared to promote the chemical aging of PLA. Collectively, our results provide novel insights into the soil-fauna-driven impact of degradable/nondegradable MPs exposure on the long-term environmental risks associated with soil microorganisms.