Microplastics positively mediate soil multifunctionality in dryland

• Published in: Resources, conservation and recycling conservation and recycling, 2024-10, Vol.209, p.107754, Article 107754
• Main Authors: Wang, Peng-Yang, Zhao, Ze-Ying, Siddique, Kadambot H.M., Xiong, Xiao-Bin, Tao, Hong-Yan, Ma, Yue, Mo, Fei, Chen, Yinglong, Song, Yajie, Burch, William R., Ma, Baoluo, Wang, Song, Kavagi, Levis, Yang, Fang-Kun, Xiong, You-Cai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacterial composition diversity and functioning diversity; Dryland ecosystems; Function groups; Microplastics; Soil health; Soil multifunctionality
• ISSN: 0921-3449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107754

•Soil multifunctionality (SMF) is tested in PE microplastics (MPs) polluted dryland.•8 major function groups (across 21 functions) explain 78.6 % of SMF variation.•6 major ecological functions generally exhibit positive contributions to SMF.•This is due to foam-modified effects of MPs on ecological & productive functions.•MPs generally induce positive effects on SMF, but not negative ones in dryland. Soil multifunctionality (SMF) denotes soil capability to concurrently offer diversified functions. Here, we unveiled the long-term effects of polyethylene microplastics (MPs) on SMF along their physical forms and concentrations in dryland. General linear model showed that eight major function groups (across 21 functions) explained 78.6 % of SMF variation. Direct or indirect productive functions of soil, including plant productivity and its physical property stability, contributed to SMF by 8.65 % and 13.68 %, respectively. Ecological functions, including microbial activity (12.73 %), bacterial composition diversity (10.69 %), bacterial functional diversity (11.71 %), carbon storage (9.98 %), nitrogen storage (3.54 %) and pollutant metabolism function (7.62 %), exhibited positive contributions to SMF. These were somewhat dependent on MPs physical forms and concentrations, and mostly attributed to the foam-modified effects of MPs on soil bulk density, and functional trade-off between conservation and services. Overall, MPs induced positive effects on SMF, challenging the widespread viewpoint that MPs only produced negative impacts in dryland. [Display omitted]