Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils.

Microplastics (MPs), plastic particles <5 mm, are found in environments, including terrestrial ecosystems, planetwide. Most research so far has focused on ecotoxicology, examining effects on performance of soil biota in controlled settings. As research pivots to a more ecosystem and global change...

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Main Authors: Matthias C Rillig, Eva Leifheit, Johannes Lehmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-03-01
Series:PLoS Biology
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001130&type=printable
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author Matthias C Rillig
Eva Leifheit
Johannes Lehmann
author_facet Matthias C Rillig
Eva Leifheit
Johannes Lehmann
author_sort Matthias C Rillig
collection DOAJ
description Microplastics (MPs), plastic particles <5 mm, are found in environments, including terrestrial ecosystems, planetwide. Most research so far has focused on ecotoxicology, examining effects on performance of soil biota in controlled settings. As research pivots to a more ecosystem and global change perspective, questions about soil-borne biogeochemical cycles become important. MPs can affect the carbon cycle in numerous ways, for example, by being carbon themselves and by influencing soil microbial processes, plant growth, or litter decomposition. Great uncertainty surrounds nano-sized plastic particles, an expected by-product of further fragmentation of MPs. A major concerted effort is required to understand the pervasive effects of MPs on the functioning of soils and terrestrial ecosystems; importantly, such research needs to capture the immense diversity of these particles in terms of chemistry, aging, size, and shape.
format Article
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institution DOAJ
issn 1544-9173
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language English
publishDate 2021-03-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Biology
spelling doaj-art-3d52f320b19045ebaa70bebe4dba1d6b2025-08-20T02:55:27ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Biology1544-91731545-78852021-03-01193e300113010.1371/journal.pbio.3001130Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils.Matthias C RilligEva LeifheitJohannes LehmannMicroplastics (MPs), plastic particles <5 mm, are found in environments, including terrestrial ecosystems, planetwide. Most research so far has focused on ecotoxicology, examining effects on performance of soil biota in controlled settings. As research pivots to a more ecosystem and global change perspective, questions about soil-borne biogeochemical cycles become important. MPs can affect the carbon cycle in numerous ways, for example, by being carbon themselves and by influencing soil microbial processes, plant growth, or litter decomposition. Great uncertainty surrounds nano-sized plastic particles, an expected by-product of further fragmentation of MPs. A major concerted effort is required to understand the pervasive effects of MPs on the functioning of soils and terrestrial ecosystems; importantly, such research needs to capture the immense diversity of these particles in terms of chemistry, aging, size, and shape.https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001130&type=printable
spellingShingle Matthias C Rillig
Eva Leifheit
Johannes Lehmann
Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils.
PLoS Biology
title Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils.
title_full Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils.
title_fullStr Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils.
title_full_unstemmed Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils.
title_short Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils.
title_sort microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils
url https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001130&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT matthiascrillig microplasticeffectsoncarboncyclingprocessesinsoils
AT evaleifheit microplasticeffectsoncarboncyclingprocessesinsoils
AT johanneslehmann microplasticeffectsoncarboncyclingprocessesinsoils