Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films: Impacts on Soil Microbial Communities and Ecosystem Functions

Frontiers in Microbiology
Sreejata BandopadhyayJennifer M DeBruyn

Abstract

Agricultural plastic mulch films are widely used in specialty crop production systems because of their agronomic benefits. Biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs) offer an environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional polyethylene (PE) mulch. Unlike PE films, which need to be removed after use, BDMs are tilled into soil where they are expected to biodegrade. However, there remains considerable uncertainty about long-term impacts of BDM incorporation on soil ecosystems. BDMs potentially influence soil microbial communities in two ways: first, as a surface barrier prior to soil incorporation, indirectly affecting soil microclimate and atmosphere (similar to PE films) and second, after soil incorporation, as a direct input of physical fragments, which add carbon, microorganisms, additives, and adherent chemicals. This review summarizes the current literature on impacts of plastic mulches on soil biological and biogeochemical processes, with a special emphasis on BDMs. The combined findings indicated that when used as a surface barrier, plastic mulches altered soil microbial community composition and functioning via microclimate modification, though the nature of these alterations varied between studies. In addition, BDM inc...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 23, 2020·Letters in Applied Microbiology·S M Satti, A A Shah
May 19, 2019·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Duofei HuGuangming Zeng
Dec 8, 2020·Frontiers in Microbiology·Sreejata BandopadhyayJennifer M DeBruyn
Oct 13, 2020·The Science of the Total Environment·Fanrong MengViolette Geissen
Jan 17, 2021·Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety·Youming DongZhengguo Song
Sep 2, 2020·The Science of the Total Environment·Hadaly Serrano-RuizAna M Pelacho
Jul 3, 2021·Science·Matthew MacLeodAnnika Jahnke
Nov 10, 2021·The Science of the Total Environment·Yin LiuShan Hu

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