Microplastic effects on carbon cycling in terrestrial soil ecosystems: Storage, formation, mineralization, and microbial mechanisms

Yan Liu, Wenfeng Wang, Jianzhou He

Research output: Contribution to journalSystematic reviewpeer-review

Abstract

Soil is the largest environmental reservoir of microplastics (MPs) on the earth. Incremental accumulation of MPs in the soil can cause significant changes in soil physicochemical and microbial traits, which may in turn interfere with soil biogeochemical processes such as carbon cycling. With published research regarding MPs impacts on soil carbon cycling growing rapidly, a systematic review summarizing the current knowledge and highlighting future research needs is warranted. As carbon-rich polymers, MPs can contribute to soil organic carbon (SOC) storage via degradation and leaching. MPs can also affect the humification of dissolved organic matters (DOM), consequently influencing the stability of SOC. Exposure to MPs can cause substantial impacts on the growth performance, litter decomposition, and root secretion of terrestrial plants as well as soil microbial carbon turnover, inducing changes in the formation of SOC. The presence of MPs has contrasting effects on the emissions of both CO2 and CH4 from the soil. The diverse effects of MPs on soil carbon metabolism could be partly attributed to the varying changes in soil microbial community structure, functional gene expression, and enzyme activity under MPs exposure. Further research is still highly needed to clarify the pathways of MPs impacts on soil carbon cycling and the driving biological and physicochemical factors behind these processes.

Original languageEnglish
Article number176658
JournalScience of the Total Environment
Volume954
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2024

Keywords

  • Carbon cycling
  • Microbial community
  • Microplastics
  • Plants
  • Terrestrial soil

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Microplastic effects on carbon cycling in terrestrial soil ecosystems: Storage, formation, mineralization, and microbial mechanisms'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this