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Environmental fate and effects of mulch films on agricultural soil: A systematic review from application to residual impact
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This research investigated the biodegradation of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and related biodegradable polyesters under different environmental conditions, characterizing degradation rates and microbial communities involved. The study helps clarify under which environmental conditions certified biodegradable plastics actually degrade, informing labeling standards and end-of-life management.
Plastic mulch films improve crop microclimate and yield but generate persistent residues and microplastics (MPs), posing ecological risks. Despite this, systematic reviews on the life-cycle fate of mulch films from application to residues remain limited. This review summarizes mulch film classification, physicochemical and microbial degradation mechanisms, migration fate factors, and impacts on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling, highlighting mulch film characteristics and soil properties as most important factors. Some key conclusions include: (1) film mulching alters soil hydrothermal conditions and gas exchange, thereby restructuring microbial activities; (2) residues and MPs modify soil structure, create new niches, and rewire functional gene networks, ultimately regulating soil carbon and nitrogen cycling; (3) the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during mulch film degradation can enhance organic matter decomposition and nitrogen utilization. Critical research gaps remain, particularly in long-term field assessments and under multi-stressor scenarios. This review provides an integrative perspective on the environmental fate and functional impacts of mulch films, thereby advocating the development of sustainable mulching practices and risk control in agroecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Environmental fate and effects of mulch films on agricultural soil: A systematic review from application to residual impact
AI summary Read the abstract
This systematic review traces the full lifecycle of plastic mulch films used in farming, from application to breakdown in soil. While these films boost crop yields, they leave behind persistent residues that fragment into microplastics, potentially contaminating soil and groundwater. The review highlights the need for biodegradable alternatives to reduce long-term microplastic accumulation in agricultural land.
Environmental fate and effects of mulch films on agricultural soil: A systematic review from application to residual impact
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This systematic review examines how plastic mulch films used in agriculture break down over time and release microplastics into farm soil. The films improve crop growth but create lasting environmental damage as plastic fragments accumulate and alter soil properties. The findings underscore the importance of developing truly biodegradable alternatives to protect farmland from microplastic pollution.
Advances in researches of the mulch-film degradation and the underlying mechanism.
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This review examines how plastic mulch films degrade in agricultural soils, covering the physical, chemical, and biological processes involved. Researchers found that residual plastic fragments accumulate in soils over repeated growing seasons and may affect soil structure, water movement, and microbial communities.
Plastic mulching, and occurrence, incorporation, degradation, and impacts of polyethylene microplastics in agroecosystems
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This review examines how plastic mulch films used in agriculture break down into polyethylene microplastics and what happens to them in farm ecosystems. Researchers describe how microorganisms colonize these particles and can eventually break down the plastic molecules, but also how the microplastics alter soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling. The study highlights plastic mulching as a major source of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils worldwide.
Fate of plastic film residues in agro-ecosystem and its effects on aggregate-associated soil carbon and nitrogen stocks
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Researchers studied the fate of biodegradable and LDPE plastic film residues buried in agricultural soil over three years and found that biodegradable films did not meaningfully degrade under field conditions, both types altered soil aggregate structure and reduced carbon and nitrogen stocks compared to controls.
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