Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitously found in terrestrial ecosystems and are increasingly recognized as a factor of global change (GCF). Current research shows that MP can alter plant growth, soil inherent properties, and the composition and activity of microbial communities. However, knowledge about how microplastic affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is scarce. For plants it has been shown that microplastic can both increase and decrease the aboveground biomass and reduce the root diameter, which could indirectly cause a change in AMF abundance and activity. One of the main direct effects of microplastic is the reduction of the soil bulk density, which translates to an altered soil pore structure and water transport. Moreover, especially fibers can have considerable impacts on soil structure, namely the size distribution and stability of soil aggregates. Therefore, microplastic alters a number of soil parameters that determine habitat space and conditions for AMF. We expect that this will influence functions mediated by AMF, such as soil aggregation, water and nutrient transport. We discuss how the impacts of microplastic on AMF could alter how plants deal with other GCFs in the context of sustainable food production. The co-occurrence of several GCFs, e.g., elevated temperature, drought, pesticides, and microplastic could modify the impact of microplastic on AMF. Furthermore, the ubiquitous presence of microplastic also relates to earth system processes, e.g., net primary production (NPP), carbon and nitrogen cycling, which involve AMF as key soil organisms. For future research, we outline which experiments should be prioritized.
Highlights
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitously found around the globe and are increasingly recognized as a factor of global change (GCF; Rillig and Lehmann, 2020)
Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Microplastic nearby roads, where particles and fragments are generated through tire and road wear abrasion or from sports grounds with artificial substrates, through the addition of polymer coated fertilizer, littering, flooding events, or irrigation with wastewater (Piehl et al, 2018; Bergmann et al, 2019; Baensch-Baltruschat et al, 2020; Brahney et al, 2020)
Current research shows that microplastic can alter plant performance, soil properties, and the composition and activity of microbial communities (e.g., Machado et al, 2018; Boots et al, 2019)
Summary
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitously found around the globe and are increasingly recognized as a factor of global change (GCF; Rillig and Lehmann, 2020). Current research shows that microplastic can alter plant performance, soil properties, and the composition and activity of microbial communities (e.g., Machado et al, 2018; Boots et al, 2019).
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