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Conventional and biodegradable agricultural microplastics: Effects on soil decomposer animals and protists in three climate zones
Applied Soil Ecology2026
Score: 40
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Paula Redondo Hasselerharm,
Vili Saartama,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Vili Saartama,
Vili Saartama,
Melanie Braun,
Salla Selonen,
Melanie Braun,
Paula Redondo Hasselerharm,
Melanie Braun,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Lotte de Jeu,
Melanie Braun,
Lotte de Jeu,
Lotte de Jeu,
Vili Saartama,
Vili Saartama,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Paula Redondo Hasselerharm,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Melanie Braun,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Paula Redondo Hasselerharm,
Andreu Rico,
Salla Selonen,
Andreu Rico,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Andreu Rico,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Vili Saartama,
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Jari Haimi,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Vili Saartama,
Melanie Braun,
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Jari Haimi,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Salla Selonen,
Andreu Rico,
Melanie Braun,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Lotte de Jeu,
Paula Redondo Hasselerharm,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Salla Selonen,
Lotte de Jeu,
Lotte de Jeu,
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Melanie Braun,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Andreu Rico,
Jari Haimi,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Jari Haimi,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Jari Haimi,
Jari Haimi,
Lotte de Jeu,
Lotte de Jeu,
Lotte de Jeu,
Lotte de Jeu,
Lotte de Jeu,
Melanie Braun,
Melanie Braun,
Andreu Rico,
Salla Selonen,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Andreu Rico,
Salla Selonen,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Lotte de Jeu,
Andreu Rico,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Paula Redondo Hasselerharm,
Paula Redondo Hasselerharm,
Janne Kaseva,
Janne Kaseva,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Andreu Rico,
Melanie Braun,
Melanie Braun,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Juha-Matti Pitkänen,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Andreu Rico,
Juha-Matti Pitkänen,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
D. M. Post,
D. M. Post,
Melanie Braun,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Melanie Braun,
Melanie Braun,
Paula Redondo Hasselerharm,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Paula Redondo Hasselerharm,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Salla Selonen,
Andreu Rico,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Salla Selonen,
Suvi Sutela,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Salla Selonen,
Melanie Braun,
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Salla Selonen,
Vili Saartama,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Vili Saartama,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Salla Selonen,
Sannakajsa Velmala,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Andreu Rico,
Cornelis A.M. van Gestel
Summary
A field experiment across three countries — Finland, Germany, and Spain — found that microplastics from common agricultural plastics harm soil invertebrates, with effects varying substantially by geography and climate. Enchytraeid worms showed the steepest declines (over 50%) in Finland and Spain, while earthworms responded differently to biodegradable versus conventional plastic depending on location. The findings warn that environmental risk assessments for agricultural microplastics cannot rely on laboratory results alone — local climate, soil type, and ecological context all shape the actual harm done to the organisms that keep soils healthy.
The effects of microplastics (MPs) in soils have been studied mainly in laboratory experiments, with limited data on soil invertebrates in field. The importance of different natural environmental factors such as climate for responses of soil organism communities to MPs is not yet studied in detail. We tested whether MPs made of conventional low–density polyethylene (PE) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate starch–blend (PBAT) affect soil invertebrates. We studied the effects of these MPs in agricultural fields in three countries (Finland, Germany, and Spain), representing different climatic zones and soils. Community structure of protists and microfauna (through eDNA), abundances of enchytraeids, earthworms, and microarthropods were analysed in soils dosed with two concentrations (0.005 and 0.05% w /w in top 10 cm layer) and followed for two growing seasons. Enchytraeids showed over 50% decline in numbers in PE and PBAT MP–dosed soils in Finland and Spain. Earthworms exposed to PBAT MPs slightly increased in biomass and numbers in Finland and Germany. Mites were mostly unaffected, while the abundance of springtails decreased in Finland when exposed to PBAT MPs. Protist community changed in Germany and Finland when exposed to PE MPs. Nematode diversity declined when exposed to PE MPs in Finland and PBAT MPs in Germany. Our results suggest that MPs from agricultural origin can impact invertebrates that form significant part of the soil decomposer community, and effects of MPs on soil fauna can vary by geographical region. Therefore, environmental risk assessments must account for local natural conditions to avoid over– or underestimation. • Effects of microplastics (MPs) from commonly used agricultural plastics in field • Environmentally relevant MP concentrations produced effects on soil invertebrates • Enchytraeids most sensitive to MPs followed by earthworms • Major differences in soil invertebrate responses to MPs between countries and years • Soil organisms in the harsher climates (Finland, Spain) more effected by MPs