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Microplastics Modulate Carbon Sequestration in Paddy Fields by Regulating Rhizosphere Silicon Mobility
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Microplastics were found to modulate carbon sequestration in paddy fields by altering microbial activity and organic matter decomposition rates. The study highlights that plastic contamination in rice paddies can disrupt the carbon cycle, potentially offsetting the carbon storage capacity of these ecosystems.
Although microplastics (MPs)-induced alterations in microbial carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling have been increasingly documented, their integrated effects on silicon (Si)-mediated C sequestration in paddy ecosystems remain poorly understood. Using a rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth-cycle microcosm experiment, this study investigated how biodegradable (poly(lactic acid), PLA) and nondegradable (polyethylene, PE) MPs alter rhizosphere Si dynamics, microbial C/N metabolism, and soil C storage. PLA treatment increased C accumulation in grains (+33%) and shoots (+10%) relative to the control, whereas PE reduced both by 26-40%, coinciding with divergent Si uptake patterns. Transient stimulation of Si translocation (up to 2-fold under PLA) was associated with short-term mitigation of microbial-driven C losses. However, both MP types progressively reduced rhizosphere Si bioavailability and disrupted aggregate stability, indicating long-term depletion of labile Si pools. Moreover, PLA enhanced N mineralization via enriching Chloroflexi and Actinobacteriota, elevated labile organic C, and downregulated key genes involved in C fixation (e.g., korA/B), thereby undermining persistent C storage. These findings reveal a MPs-induced dual role of short-term elevated C accumulation via rhizosphere Si uptake by plants versus long-term disruption of C-Si coupled biogeochemical cycle in paddy fields.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics Modulate Carbon Sequestration in PaddyFields by Regulating Rhizosphere Silicon Mobility
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how biodegradable PLA and non-degradable PE microplastics alter rhizosphere silicon dynamics, carbon metabolism, and soil carbon storage in a rice paddy growth-cycle microcosm experiment. PLA transiently boosted grain carbon accumulation by 33% via altered silicon translocation, while PE reduced accumulation by 26-40%; both types ultimately disrupted long-term silicon bioavailability and carbon-silicon biogeochemical cycling in paddy fields.
Effects of microplastics on photosynthesized C allocation in a rice-soil system and its utilization by soil microbial groups
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Researchers used carbon isotope pulse labeling to track how microplastics affect the allocation of photosynthesized carbon in a rice paddy system. They found that microplastic amendments reduced photosynthetic carbon in roots by 30-54% while PVC microplastics increased soil organic carbon by up to 4.7 times compared to untreated soil. The study reveals that microplastics can significantly alter carbon cycling in paddy ecosystems by redirecting plant carbon inputs and changing how soil microbes utilize those carbon sources.
Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics affect carbon cycling processes in soils, including their influence on microbial activity, plant growth, and litter decomposition. Since microplastics are themselves carbon-based materials, they can directly alter soil carbon stocks while also indirectly shifting microbial communities. The study calls for a major research effort to understand the widespread effects of microplastics on soil functioning and terrestrial ecosystem health.
Microplastics shape microbial communities affecting soil organic matter decomposition in paddy soil
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Researchers found that microplastics shape soil microbial communities in paddy soils in ways that affect organic matter decomposition, revealing how bacterial succession and carbon cycling are altered by microplastic presence in agricultural systems.
Interference of microplastics on autotrophic microbiome in paddy soils: Shifts in carbon fixation rate, structure, abundance, co-occurrence, and assembly process
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Researchers found that both conventional polystyrene and biodegradable PHBV microplastics significantly reduced carbon fixation rates in paddy soil by disrupting autotrophic microbial communities. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils may impair natural carbon sequestration processes, with polystyrene having a stronger inhibitory effect than biodegradable alternatives in bulk soil.
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