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Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in Agriculture
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Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in Agriculture

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Effects of biodegradable and polyethylene film mulches and their residues on soil bacterial communities

Chong Yang1,2, Yaozhu Huang3,4, Bibo Long3,4

  • 1Institute of Biological and Medical Engineering, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510316, China. parker815@163.com.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research International
|July 19, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Plastic mulches affect soil nutrients and microbial communities. Biodegradable and PE films impact soil bacteria differently when left as residual films, with biodegradable options showing specific benefits.

Area of Science:

  • Soil Science
  • Microbiology
  • Agricultural Science

Background:

  • Plastic film mulches are widely used in agriculture to improve crop yields and soil conditions.
  • The long-term effects of plastic mulches, particularly residual films, on soil bacterial communities are not fully understood.
  • Investigating these effects is crucial for sustainable agricultural practices.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of biodegradable film mulch (BM) and PE film mulch (PM) on soil bacterial communities during mulching and after incorporation as residual films.
  • To compare the effects of BM and PM with no mulch (NM) and no residual film (NRF) treatments.
  • To understand the role of soil properties and residual films in shaping soil bacterial diversity and community structure.

Main Methods:

  • Field experiments were conducted in two locations on winter-planting potato fields.
  • Mulching experiment: BM, PE film mulch (PM), and no film mulch (NM) were applied.
  • Residual film experiment: Residual films from BM and PM were incorporated into the soil (RBF, RPF) alongside a no residual film (NRF) control.

Main Results:

  • Mulching practices (BM, PM) altered soil nutrients (N, K), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and urease activity, while increasing soil moisture and bacterial alpha diversity.
  • Both BM and PM enhanced bacterial community interrelations and harbored more keystone taxa compared to NM.
  • Residual biodegradable film (RBF) increased MBC and beta-glucosidase (BG) activity more than residual PE film (RPF) or NRF, with BG strongly correlating with microbial phyla.
  • RBF and RPF increased dominant bacterial phyla (Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Chlorofexi) and community interrelations; RBF specifically increased keystone taxa in multiple phyla.

Conclusions:

  • The indirect effects of biodegradable and PE film mulches as soil barriers are similar, influencing soil properties and bacterial communities.
  • Direct effects of residual films show specificity, with biodegradable residual films promoting microbial biomass and enzyme activity.
  • Biodegradable film mulches offer distinct advantages when incorporated into soil, positively impacting soil bacterial communities and functions.
Keywords:
Bacterial communityBiodegradable film mulchPE film mulchResidual PE filmResidual biodegradable film

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