Microplastics shape microbial communities affecting soil organic matter decomposition in paddy soil

Microplastics (MPs) can alter microbial communities and carbon (C) cycling in agricultural soils. However, the mechanism by which MPs affect the decomposition of microbe-driven soil organic matter remains unknown. We investigated the bacterial community succession and temporal turnover during soil organic matter decomposition in MP-amended paddy soils (none, low [0.01% w/w], or high [1% w/w]). We observed that MPs reduced the CO2 efflux rate on day 3 and subsequently promoted it on day 15 of incubation. This increased CO2 emission in MP-amended soil may be related to (i) enhanced hydrolase enzyme activities or; (ii) shifts in the Shannon diversity, positive group interactions, and temporal turnover rates (from 0.018 to 0.040). CO2 efflux was positively correlated (r > 0.8, p < 0.01) with Ruminiclostridium_1, Mobilitalea, Eubacterium xylanophilum, Sporomusa, Anaerobacteriu, Papillibacter, Syntrophomonadaceae, and Ruminococcaceae_ UCG_013 abundance in soil with high MPs, indicating that these genera play important roles in soil organic C mineralization. These results demonstrate how microorganisms adapt to MPs and thus influence the C cycle in MP-polluted paddy ecosystems.

Automated summary

Microplastics can impact microbial communities and carbon cycling in agricultural soils. This study investigates the effects of microplastics on the decomposition of soil organic matter and bacterial community succession. The results show that microplastics initially reduce CO2 efflux but subsequently promote it, possibly due to enhanced enzyme activities and shifts in bacterial diversity.