We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Long-Term Fertilization History Alters Effects of Microplastics on Soil Properties, Microbial Communities, and Functions in Diverse Farmland Ecosystem
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that adding polyethylene microplastics to farm soil changed the soil's microbial communities, and the effects depended on the soil type and fertilization history. Soil with lower microbial diversity was more vulnerable to microplastic disruption, and microplastics increased the presence of disease-causing microorganisms. These findings matter because microplastics in agricultural soil could reduce soil health and potentially affect the safety of crops grown for human consumption.
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has caused a threat to soil ecosystem diversity and functioning globally. Recently, an increasing number of studies have reported effects of MPs on soil ecosystems. However, these studies mainly focused on soil bacterial communities and a few limited functional genes, which is why MPs effects on soil ecosystems are still not fully understood. Fertilization treatment often coinsides with MPs exposure in practice. Here, we studied effects of an environmentally relevant concentration of polyethylene on soil properties, microbial communities, and functions under different soil types and fertilization history. Our results showed that 0.2% PE MPs exposure could affect soil pH, but this effect varied according to soil type and fertilization history. Long-term fertilization history could alter effects of MPs on soil bacterial and fungal communities in diverse farmland ecosystems (P < 0.05). Soil fungal communities are more sensitive to MPs than bacterial communities under 0.2% PE MPs exposure. MPs exposure has a greater impact on the soil ecosystem with a lower microbial diversity and functional genes abundance and increases the abundance of pathogenic microorganisms. These findings provided an integrated picture to aid our understanding of the impact of MPs on diverse farmland ecosystems with different fertilization histories.
More Papers Like This
Responses of microbial communities to the addition of different types of microplastics in agricultural soils
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted a 90-day soil incubation study to examine how four types of microplastics — polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate — affect agricultural soil properties and microbial communities. They found that all four types significantly altered soil enzyme activities, nutrient content, and the diversity of microbial populations. The study indicates that microplastic contamination in farmland can disrupt soil health in ways that may affect agricultural productivity.
Low-density polyethylene microplastics alter chemical properties and microbial communities in agricultural soil
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that adding low-density polyethylene microplastics to agricultural soil at concentrations of 1% and above significantly altered soil chemistry and bacterial community structure. The study suggests that microplastic contamination from plastic mulch and other agricultural inputs may shift microbial diversity in ways that could affect long-term soil health.
Microplastic accumulation reshapes the assembly of bacterial and fungal communities and soil nutrient cycling in long-term mulched farmland soil
AI summary Read the abstract
Soil samples from farmland covered with plastic film for 5, 13, or 20 years showed that microplastics built up and broke into smaller pieces over time, changing nutrient levels and shifting the mix of soil bacteria and fungi. Bacterial diversity rose while fungal diversity fell, and these community changes were linked mainly to microplastic-driven changes in soil nutrients.
Fertilization Mitigates Polyethylene Microplastic-Induced Disruptions in Plant Growth and Soil Microbial Processes in Agricultural Soil
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic bits from farm plastics and packaging waste are building up in soil and can harm plant growth and helpful soil microbes. This study found that fertilizing crops can help offset that damage, which matters because healthier soil means safer, more reliable food, and less plastic potentially working its way into what we eat.
Microplastic: Evaluating the Impact on Soil-Microbes and Plant System
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics affect soil microbial communities and plant systems in agricultural settings, documenting impacts on soil health, microbial diversity, and crop physiology. As microplastics accumulate in farmland soils through irrigation, sludge application, and plastic mulches, their effects on the soil ecosystem that underpins food production are a growing concern.
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.