Soil viruses decide if biodegradable plastics help or hurt carbon storage
Liu L, Hu L, Sun H, Xiao J, Zhu D
Soil Health
If you compost with 'biodegradable' plastic liners or garden in soil treated with plastic mulch, the type of plastic you choose may quietly shift whether your soil banks carbon or burns through it, thanks to an invisible war between viruses and bacteria underground.
Scientists found that tiny viruses living in soil attack bacteria differently depending on which kind of biodegradable plastic is mixed into the ground. One plastic, called PLA, caused viruses to kill off more bacteria and sped up the breakdown of carbon that normally comes from decaying plants. A different plastic, PHA, let both viruses and bacteria thrive together, so the bacteria absorbed the leftover viral debris and built it into new organic material instead of releasing it.
Key Findings
PLA reduced plant-derived organic molecules in soil by 15% and increased phage lysis, including a 2.2-fold rise in the queC gene that helps viruses replicate at the expense of microbial biomass.
PHA increased microbially derived organic molecules by 37%, especially amino-nitrogen compounds, as phages bloomed alongside their bacterial hosts rather than wiping them out.
Surviving bacteria after PHA addition recycled phage lysate into new growth (amino acids, amino sugars like MurNAc), boosting carbon use efficiency, while PLA pushed bacteria toward faster carbon breakdown and lower carbon use efficiency.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Biodegradable plastics breaking down in farm soil change which viruses attack soil bacteria, and that viral activity determines whether carbon from plants and microbes gets stored or released. One type of plastic sped up carbon loss, while another helped soil hold onto more organic matter.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Phage Lysis Associated with Biodegradable Microplastics Mediates Microbial Physiological Adaptation to Transform Organic Matter in Soil.
Biodegradable microplastics (MPs) profoundly impact the storage and stability of soil organic matter (SOM), yet the mechanisms by which phages mediate the transformation of plant- and microbially d...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Nanoplastics interfere with plant-mycorrhizal communication and limit plant growth.
Microplastics breaking down in your garden soil are quietly strangling the beneficial fungi that help your vegetables absorb phosphorus and other nutrients, ...
Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic materials—such as plant waste, food scraps, and manure—into a nutrient-rich amendment that improves soil fertility and structure. For plant science, compost is significant because it enhances soil microbial communities, increases nutrient
arrow_forward Explore topic