Plastic film mulching and microplastics impact soil nitrogen processes
Plastic film mulching (PFM) significantly enhances crop yield and quality by increasing soil temperature, reducing water evaporation and optimizing nutrient cycling. However, improper management of plastic film residues has led to microplastic pollution in farmland, posing a major challenge to susta...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Higher Education Press
2026-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://journal.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/PDF/10.15302/J-FASE-2025642 |
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| author | Jinrui ZHANG Kai WANG Tong ZHU Tao CHENG Rui JIANG Xuejun LIU |
| author_facet | Jinrui ZHANG Kai WANG Tong ZHU Tao CHENG Rui JIANG Xuejun LIU |
| author_sort | Jinrui ZHANG |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plastic film mulching (PFM) significantly enhances crop yield and quality by increasing soil temperature, reducing water evaporation and optimizing nutrient cycling. However, improper management of plastic film residues has led to microplastic pollution in farmland, posing a major challenge to sustainable agricultural development. The accumulation of microplastics in soil not only affects soil structure but also profoundly impacts crop growth and ecosystem stability by altering nitrogen-related microbial activities and nitrogen (N) cycling processes. This review synthesizes the effects of PFM and microplastics on soil N pools and cycling, exploring their mechanisms in plant N uptake, microbial immobilization, gaseous emissions (e.g., NH3 and N2O), and N transformation processes (e.g., N fixation, assimilation, mineralization, nitrification and denitrification). Research indicates that PFM and microplastics significantly influence N processes by modifying soil physicochemical properties and microbial community structure, although their effects vary depending on plastic type, environmental conditions and crop growth stages. Future studies should further investigate the long-term ecological impacts of microplastics in complex natural environments and employ advanced statistical methods and models to quantify their dynamic effects on N cycling. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6472bf8f9c3f45ffbd062b4fb327ebc9 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2095-7505 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2026-03-01 |
| publisher | Higher Education Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-6472bf8f9c3f45ffbd062b4fb327ebc92025-08-20T03:03:16ZengHigher Education PressFrontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering2095-75052026-03-011312564210.15302/J-FASE-2025642Plastic film mulching and microplastics impact soil nitrogen processesJinrui ZHANG0Kai WANG1Tong ZHU2Tao CHENG3Rui JIANG4Xuejun LIU51. State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China1. State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China1. State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China1. State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China2. Gold Mantis School of Architecture, Soochow University, Suzhou 215127, China1. State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China|3. Quzhou Agricultural Green Industry Academy, Quzhou Experimental Station, Handan 057250, ChinaPlastic film mulching (PFM) significantly enhances crop yield and quality by increasing soil temperature, reducing water evaporation and optimizing nutrient cycling. However, improper management of plastic film residues has led to microplastic pollution in farmland, posing a major challenge to sustainable agricultural development. The accumulation of microplastics in soil not only affects soil structure but also profoundly impacts crop growth and ecosystem stability by altering nitrogen-related microbial activities and nitrogen (N) cycling processes. This review synthesizes the effects of PFM and microplastics on soil N pools and cycling, exploring their mechanisms in plant N uptake, microbial immobilization, gaseous emissions (e.g., NH3 and N2O), and N transformation processes (e.g., N fixation, assimilation, mineralization, nitrification and denitrification). Research indicates that PFM and microplastics significantly influence N processes by modifying soil physicochemical properties and microbial community structure, although their effects vary depending on plastic type, environmental conditions and crop growth stages. Future studies should further investigate the long-term ecological impacts of microplastics in complex natural environments and employ advanced statistical methods and models to quantify their dynamic effects on N cycling.https://journal.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/PDF/10.15302/J-FASE-2025642Plastic film mulchingmicroplasticsnitrogen fatenitrogen transformationarable soil |
| spellingShingle | Jinrui ZHANG Kai WANG Tong ZHU Tao CHENG Rui JIANG Xuejun LIU Plastic film mulching and microplastics impact soil nitrogen processes Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering Plastic film mulching microplastics nitrogen fate nitrogen transformation arable soil |
| title | Plastic film mulching and microplastics impact soil nitrogen processes |
| title_full | Plastic film mulching and microplastics impact soil nitrogen processes |
| title_fullStr | Plastic film mulching and microplastics impact soil nitrogen processes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plastic film mulching and microplastics impact soil nitrogen processes |
| title_short | Plastic film mulching and microplastics impact soil nitrogen processes |
| title_sort | plastic film mulching and microplastics impact soil nitrogen processes |
| topic | Plastic film mulching microplastics nitrogen fate nitrogen transformation arable soil |
| url | https://journal.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/PDF/10.15302/J-FASE-2025642 |
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