We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Soil microplastic pollution under different land uses in tropics, southwestern China
AI summary Read the abstract
Soil microplastic pollution was compared across four land use types in tropical southwestern China -- primary and secondary forests, rubber plantations, and banana plantations -- finding that agricultural land uses had higher microplastic abundance than natural forest soils.
Terrestrial ecosystems encounter emerging risks of microplastic (MP) pollution. However, the distribution characteristics of soil MPs across different land uses in tropical areas have remain largely unknown. We sampled soils from two natural ecosystems (primary and secondary forests) and two artificial ecosystems (rubber and banana plantations) in tropical region of southwestern China. We aimed to evaluate the overall characteristics of soil MPs and analyze the distribution and source of MPs in different soil layers and land uses. We found that the dominant size of soil MPs were <1 mm and the major shapes were fragments and fibres, with colours blue, yellow, and green-blue. Most MPs were polyethylene (PE, 59.6%), rayon (RY, 12.0%), and polypropylene (PP, 10.9%). In artificial ecosystems, the abundance of MPs in the top soil (0-10 cm) was approximately 2.5 times that of in deep soil (10-20 cm), whereas it was only 50% in the natural ecosystems. The abundance of MPs in banana plantations reached as high as 10975.0 ± 261.0 particles kg (p kg), which was about 10 times that of in rubber plantations (1112.5 ± 151.6 p kg) and 18 times of those in secondary and primary forests (612.5 ± 119.2 p kg and 637.5 ± 181.6 p kg). Anthropogenic and atmospheric transport may be the major sources of soil MPs for artificial ecosystems to natural ecosystems, respectively. Our results revealed the widespread presence of soil MPs in tropical areas, from artificial ecosystems to natural ecosystems, in both the top and deep soil layers. MP pollution in artificial ecosystems is considerably serious than that in natural ecosystems. Our study provides important support for further research on ecosystem risks pertaining to MPs in the context of land use changes, and promotes the development of effective measures and policies to control MP pollution in tropical areas.
More Papers Like This
Assessment of Soil Microplastics and Their Relation to Soil and Terrain Attributes Under Different Land Uses
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in tropical soils under different land uses including forest, grassland, and agricultural areas. They found that agricultural soils had the highest microplastic concentrations, likely due to the use of plastic-based materials in farming. The study reveals how land use practices and soil characteristics influence the distribution and accumulation of microplastics in tropical environments.
Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in coastal plain soils under three land-use types
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastic abundance and polymer composition were characterized in farmland, plantation, and orchard/secondary forest soils from 33 sites on the east China coastal plain. Farmland soils had significantly higher microplastic abundances than forest soils, with agricultural plastic mulching identified as the primary source of the dominant polyethylene film fragments.
Effects of soil properties and land use patterns on the distribution of microplastics: A case study in southwest China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in soils across different land use types in Guizhou Province, southwest China. The study found that soil properties and land use patterns significantly influence microplastic abundance and distribution, with agricultural and urban soils generally showing higher contamination levels than less intensively managed areas.
Impact of land-use patterns on soil microplastics: Distribution characteristics and driving factors in southern China’s Pearl River Delta
AI summary Read the abstract
A study across different land-use types in China's Pearl River Delta found that agricultural land had higher soil microplastic concentrations than urban or forested areas, with land-use history and plastic mulch film use as the dominant factors controlling MP distribution and polymer composition.
Effects of land use and landscape on the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in soil, China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how land use patterns affect microplastic contamination in soils across different agricultural, orchard, grassland, and woodland areas in Yunnan Province, China. Agricultural lands, especially those with greenhouses and traditional farming, had significantly higher microplastic levels than grasslands and woodlands, with fragments being the dominant shape. The study suggests that farming practices, including plastic mulch use and fertilizer application, are major contributors to soil microplastic pollution.
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.