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The Effects of Different Plastic Film Mulches on the Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties of Soils for Protected Pepper Cultivation
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Researchers compared how conventional and biodegradable plastic film mulches affect soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities in pepper cultivation, finding that mulch residue type significantly alters soil quality and microbial diversity with implications for sustainable agriculture.
Plastic film mulching is widely used in protected agriculture. However, the residues of various types of plastic films, as a consequence, severely affect soil quality. The most widely promoted alternative strategy is the use of biodegradable plastic films. Nevertheless, the research on the effects of different types of plastic films on soil properties remains insufficient. This study explored the impacts of different plastic film mulching on the physicochemical properties and microbial communities of soils for pepper cultivation, with three treatments: traditional polyethylene film (PE-Ctr), PBAT biodegradable film (PBAT bio), and reinforced polyethylene film (RPE). The results showed that the soil pH value was the highest in PE-Ctr treatment, and the soil organic matter content was higher in the biodegradable film treatment, while the electrical conductivity (EC), nitrate, and some cations (Ca2+, Mg2+) were higher in the RPE treatment. The contents of available trace element Zn, Fe, and Mn increased in the PBAT bio treatment. The bacterial richness and evenness indices were higher in PBAT bio treatment than those of other treatments. The fungal community had a relatively high richness, but a lower evenness, compared to the PE-Ctr and PBAT bio treatments. The use of different plastic films significantly affected the composition of soil bacteria, while differences in the composition of soil fungi were only observed between the PBAT bio and RPE treatments. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, and Actinobacteriota were the most dominant bacterial phyla, and Ascomycota and Mortierellomycota were the dominant fungal phylum across all treatments. FAPROTAX functional prediction showed that the abundances of multiple functions of soil bacteria were higher in the RPE treatment, and the chemoheterotrophy function was higher in the PE treatment. FUNGuild analysis indicated that the trophic types and ecological function groups of soil fungi were more abundant in the PBAT bio treatment.
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A field experiment in southern China found that biodegradable PBAT+PLA mulch film degraded faster and improved long-term soil organic matter compared to conventional polyethylene film, though it caused greater temperature fluctuation. This supports the case for biodegradable mulch films as a strategy to reduce soil microplastic accumulation from agricultural plastic use, which is one of the largest sources of terrestrial microplastic pollution.
Soil fungi respond more violently to both polyethylene and PBAT biodegradable mulch film residues than bacteria do
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Researchers compared how bacterial and fungal soil communities respond to residues from low-density polyethylene and biodegradable mulch films (PBAT-based), finding that fungi exhibited significantly stronger disruption — with higher community dissimilarity and more fragmented networks — than bacteria. Structural equation modeling confirmed that mulch film residues exert a greater negative direct effect on fungal community structure than on bacterial communities.
Changes in Soil Microbial Communities Induced by Biodegradable and Polyethylene Mulch Residues Under Three Different Temperatures
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Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional polyethylene mulch residues affect soil microbial communities at three temperatures, finding that white Mater-Bi biodegradable mulch degraded up to 89% at 30°C, while temperature above 45°C halted all degradation and differentially shaped bacterial and fungal diversity.
Biodegradable plastic films as eco‐sustainable alternative to polyethylene films: Effects on soil multifunctionality
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Researchers compared the short-term effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable plastic mulch films on soil quality and ecological functions in both field and mesocosm experiments. While both films altered specific soil properties — polyethylene boosted carbon storage and biodegradable film doubled glucosidase enzyme activity — neither produced significant overall changes in soil multifunctionality after six months, suggesting short-term impacts may be modest.
Effects of Biodegradable Film Mulching on Bacterial Diversity in Soils
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Researchers compared bacterial diversity in soils mulched with biodegradable plastic films, conventional plastic films, and bare soil, finding that biodegradable films altered microbial community composition differently than conventional plastics. The results are relevant to evaluating whether biodegradable agricultural films truly reduce soil microbiome disruption compared to persistent plastic mulches.
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