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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Global hierarchical meta-analysis of microplastic-induced changes in the soil nitrogen cycle
ClearMicroplastics stimulated soil bacterial alpha diversity and nitrogen cycle: A global hierarchical meta-analysis
This meta-analysis pools data from 117 studies to show that microplastics in soil actually stimulate bacterial diversity and alter nitrogen cycling processes. While increased microbial activity might sound beneficial, these changes can disrupt the natural nutrient balance in soil, potentially affecting crop health and the safety of the food supply.
Key factors and mechanisms of microplastics’ effects on soil nitrogen transformation: A review
This review systematically analyzed how microplastics affect nitrogen transformation processes in soil. Researchers found that the size, shape, concentration, and polymer type of microplastics all influence soil nitrogen cycling through changes to microbial communities, soil structure, and enzyme activity. The study identifies key knowledge gaps and recommends standardized research approaches to better predict how microplastic pollution will alter soil nutrient dynamics.
Global meta-analysis reveals differential effects of microplastics on soil ecosystem
This meta-analysis pooled data from 114 studies to understand how microplastics affect soil ecosystems at different concentrations. Higher microplastic levels reduced soil organic matter and microbial activity, suggesting that increasing plastic pollution could degrade the soil that supports our food supply.
Effects of microplastics on soil C and N cycling with or without interactions with soil amendments or soil fauna
A meta-analysis of soil experiments found that microplastics significantly disrupt carbon and nitrogen cycling — the fundamental processes that keep soils fertile and regulate greenhouse gas emissions — especially when microplastics interact with fertilizers, heavy metals, or soil animals like earthworms. The type of plastic and the presence of other stressors compounded the effects, with some combinations causing substantially greater disruption than either factor alone. This matters because agricultural soils are heavily contaminated with microplastics from mulch films and other sources, threatening both food production and climate regulation.
Do Added Microplastics, Native Soil Properties, and Prevailing Climatic Conditions Have Consequences for Carbon and Nitrogen Contents in Soil? A Global Data Synthesis of Pot and Greenhouse Studies
This meta-analysis examined how microplastics affect carbon and nitrogen levels in soil, which are key to soil fertility. The results show that certain types of plastics — especially smaller, fiber-shaped particles — can significantly alter soil chemistry, potentially affecting crop growth and soil health.
Global Meta-AnalysisIntegrated with Machine LearningAssesses Context-Dependent Microplastic Effects on Soil MicrobialBiomass Carbon and Nitrogen
This global meta-analysis of 90 studies found that microplastics in soil can increase microbial activity and affect carbon and nitrogen cycles, particularly biodegradable plastics which had the strongest effects. While focused on soil health rather than direct human impact, these changes could affect the quality of crops grown in contaminated soil and the broader food system.
Microplastic effects on soil nitrogen cycling enzymes: A global meta-analysis of environmental and edaphic factors
This large-scale meta-analysis of 147 studies found that microplastics in soil significantly increased urease and leucine aminopeptidase enzyme activities by about 8%, potentially disrupting nitrogen cycling. Biodegradable microplastics had more pronounced effects than conventional plastics, and responses depended on soil pH, polymer type, particle size, and concentration.
Microplastic pollution on the soil and its consequences on the nitrogen cycle: a review
This review examines microplastic pollution impacts on soil nitrogen cycling, finding that microplastics alter soil structure, serve as novel microbial colonization surfaces, and affect the microbial communities responsible for nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and denitrification.
Effects of microplastic pollution on agricultural soil and crops based on a global meta‐analysis
This meta-analysis examined data from studies worldwide to assess how microplastic pollution affects agricultural soil and crops. Researchers found that microplastics can alter soil properties including enzyme activity and nutrient availability, with effects varying by plastic type, concentration, and size. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in farmland may affect both soil health and crop growth in ways that depend heavily on local conditions.
Effects of microplastics exposure on soil inorganic nitrogen: A comprehensive synthesis
Meta-analysis of 216 observations from 47 studies showed microplastics exposure significantly reduced soil nitrate concentration by 7.89% overall, but had no significant effect on ammonium. Microplastic polymer type was the strongest predictor of nitrate effects, and exposure above 27C actually enhanced soil nitrate, highlighting a concerning interaction with global warming.
Effects of microplastic contamination on soil nitrogen and its bioavailability in soybean-maize rotation system
Researchers conducting a field experiment found that microplastics in agricultural soil disrupt the nitrogen cycle in a soybean-maize rotation system, inhibiting the natural nitrogen fixation that legumes provide and increasing the conversion of ammonium to nitrate — a form more prone to leaching away — raising concerns for long-term soil fertility.
Effects of micro(nano)plastics on soil nutrient cycling: State of the knowledge.
This review systematically examined how micro- and nano-plastics affect soil nutrient cycling for carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, finding that physical interference with soil structure, alteration of microbial communities, and chemical toxicity collectively disrupt mineralization, nitrification, and phosphorus availability in contaminated soils.
Microplastics alter the equilibrium of plant-soil-microbial system: A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies to show that microplastics disrupt the balance between plants, soil, and soil microbes. The effects vary depending on the type, size, and concentration of microplastics, suggesting that these tiny plastic particles can alter how nutrients cycle through the soil and ultimately affect the food we grow.
Micro/nanoplastics pollution poses a potential threat to soil health
This large meta-analysis of over 5,000 observations found that micro- and nanoplastics in soil harm crop growth, soil organisms, and microbial communities while increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The findings suggest that plastic pollution poses a broad threat to soil health, which could ultimately affect food production and human well-being.
Insights into soil autotrophic ammonium oxidization under microplastics stress: Crossroads of nitrification, comammox, anammox and Feammox
This study found that microplastics in soil disrupted key nitrogen cycling processes carried out by bacteria, including nitrification and other pathways essential for soil fertility. Different types of microplastics had varying effects on the microbial communities responsible for converting nitrogen into forms plants can use. Since nitrogen availability directly affects crop growth, microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could subtly undermine food production.
Microplastic effects on soil nitrogen storage, nitrogen emissions, and ammonia volatilization in relation to soil health and crop productivity: mechanism and future consideration
This review examines how microplastics made from polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene affect nitrogen cycling and ammonia release in agricultural soils. Researchers found that these plastic particles can alter soil structure, shift microbial community composition, and disrupt the processes that store and release nitrogen. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in farmland may have cascading effects on soil fertility and crop productivity.
Effects of microplastics on black soil health: A global meta-analysis
This meta-analysis of 337 cases found that microplastics in black soil increased organic matter, dissolved organic carbon, and available nitrogen but decreased nitrate nitrogen and microbial diversity. Smaller particles, higher concentrations, longer exposure, and conventional (non-biodegradable) plastics caused the most damage, with an overall 12% decrease in black soil health attributed to microplastic contamination.
Polyethylene microplastic and soil nitrogen dynamics: Unraveling the links between functional genes, microbial communities, and transformation processes
Researchers conducted a six-month experiment to understand how polyethylene microplastics in soil affect nitrogen cycling, a process critical for soil fertility and plant nutrition. They found that while total nitrogen levels stayed stable, microplastics significantly altered the forms of nitrogen present by increasing ammonium and nitrate while decreasing dissolved organic nitrogen. The study suggests that microplastics reshape soil microbial communities and their nitrogen-processing activities, potentially disrupting the natural nutrient balance in agricultural soils.
[Advances in the Effects of Microplastics on Soil N2O Emissions and Nitrogen Transformation].
This review synthesizes current research on how microplastics affect soil nitrogen cycling, including N2O emissions, nitrogen transformation processes, functional enzyme activity, and nitrogen-related genes, highlighting inconsistent findings due to variability in microplastic properties, experimental conditions, and spatial-temporal scales.
Polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics promote soil nitrification and alter the composition of key nitrogen functional bacterial groups
Researchers found that polyethylene and PVC microplastics in soil increased nitrification (a key step in the nitrogen cycle) and changed the composition of nitrogen-processing bacteria. These changes could affect soil fertility and the availability of nutrients for crops. The study highlights how microplastic contamination in agricultural soil may have hidden effects on food production by altering fundamental soil processes.