We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Polyethylene microplastics can attenuate soil carbon sequestration by reducing plant photosynthetic carbon assimilation and transfer: evidence from a 13C-labeling mesocosm study
No summary available — this paper's abstract is not included in the open metadata provided by the publisher. Learn why →
More Papers Like This
Impacts of microplastics on terrestrial soil carbon dynamics
AI summary Read the abstract
This synthesis shows that microplastics disrupt soil organic carbon sequestration through multiple mechanisms, including leaching dissolved organic matter, altering microbial carbon pump efficiency, and creating hotspots that modify mineral-organic matter interactions within soil aggregates. As microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils globally, their interference with carbon storage could undermine both climate mitigation efforts and the soil ecosystem services that support food production.
Microplastics in soil-plant system: effects of nano/microplastics on plant photosynthesis, rhizosphere microbes and soil properties in soil with different residues
AI summary Read the abstract
Polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics altered soil dissolved organic matter, disrupted rhizosphere microbial communities, and affected plant photosynthesis in Chinese cabbage, with effects varying by plastic particle size and soil amendment type. These findings reveal that microplastic contamination can cascade through soil microbiomes to impair crop growth, raising concerns for agricultural productivity and food system safety.
Degradable microplastics induce more soil organic carbon loss via priming effects: a viewpoint
AI summary Read the abstract
This viewpoint argues that degradable microplastics, despite being marketed as eco-friendly, may paradoxically accelerate soil organic carbon loss by triggering priming effects that stimulate microbial activity consuming native soil carbon stocks. This finding complicates assumptions about biodegradable plastics as a safe alternative, with implications for soil health, food security, and the long-term carbon cycle.
Microplastic Pollution in Terrestrial Systems: Sources and Implications for Soil Functioning and Plant Performance
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how microplastics enter terrestrial ecosystems through atmospheric deposition, irrigation, and agricultural mulching and found they reduce soil moisture, disrupt microbial communities, impair nutrient cycling, and harm earthworms — collectively threatening soil health and plant performance in agricultural and natural systems.
Differential effects of microplastics on soil organic carbon via lignin phenols and amino sugars in soil aggregates
AI summary Read the abstract
Pot experiments with corn showed that both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PLA microplastics reduced the accumulation of microbial carbon in soil aggregates, disrupting how organic matter builds up in the ground. Because microplastic-derived carbon can be miscounted as soil organic carbon, these findings suggest we may be overestimating soil health in contaminated agricultural fields.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.