We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and glomalin mediate the effects of microplastics on soil carbon storage
Summary
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and a soil protein called glomalin were found to mediate the effects of microplastics on plant growth and soil structure. This suggests that the ecological impact of microplastics in agricultural soils is shaped by the presence and health of fungal communities that support plant nutrition.
Microplastics are increasingly recognized as critical drivers of perturbations in biogeochemical cycles, particularly in modulating the storage and release of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, the mechanisms by which microplastics influence microbial-derived carbon remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a controlled pot experiment to investigate the effects of nondegradable and biodegradable microplastics on glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), microbial necromass carbon (MNC), and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community. Biodegradable microplastics increased SOC by an average of 33.09 %, while nondegradable microplastics increased it by 19.45 %. Microplastics altered the structure of bacterial and AMF communities, enhanced the stability of their co-occurrence networks, and highlighted the central roles of Proteobacteria, Glomus, and Paraglomus, which thereby influenced MNC and GRSP dynamics. A random forest model indicated that microplastics primarily affected SOC sequestration through GRSP, rather than through MNC. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms of microplastic-mediated microbial carbon cycling and underscore the critical role of AMF-derived GRSP in maintaining soil carbon stability. Our study advances the understanding of microbial contributions to soil carbon dynamics under microplastic stress and offers valuable perspectives for assessing the ecological risks of soil microplastic pollution.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Potential Effects of Microplastic on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi
This review examines how microplastics in soil affect arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, finding evidence that microplastics can alter fungal colonization of plant roots, spore production, and the broader soil microbiome, with cascading effects on plant nutrient uptake.
Effects of microplastic types and shapes on the community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in different soil types
Researchers examined how different types and shapes of microplastics affect arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities across various soil types. The study found that microplastics alter soil structure and chemistry in ways that disrupt these beneficial fungi, which play crucial roles in nutrient exchange, soil stability, and water movement.
The mycorrhizal symbiosis: research frontiers in genomics, ecology, and agricultural application
This review covers the latest advances in understanding mycorrhizal fungi, which form partnerships with plant roots to help them absorb nutrients and resist stress. While not directly about microplastics, mycorrhizal networks play a critical role in soil health, and research shows that microplastic contamination in soil can disrupt these beneficial fungal partnerships. Healthy mycorrhizal networks may also help buffer plants against some negative effects of soil pollutants, including microplastics.
Effects of microplastics on the plant-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal symbiotic system: type, size, and concentration
This review examines how different types, sizes, and concentrations of microplastics affect the symbiotic relationship between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil. The study found that low microplastic concentrations may stimulate fungal colonization, while higher levels generally inhibit it, and that biodegradable microplastics and nanoplastics tend to have stronger effects on the plant-fungal system than conventional microplastics.
Migration and accumulation of microplastics in soil-plant systems mediated by symbiotic microorganisms and their ecological effects
This study found that beneficial soil fungi (mycorrhizal fungi) actually accelerate the uptake of smaller microplastics by plant roots while slowing the uptake of larger ones. The microplastics disrupted the symbiotic relationship between the fungi and plants, reducing plant nutrient absorption and growth, which matters because crops grown in microplastic-contaminated soil may be less nutritious.