Plastic footprint deteriorates dryland carbon footprint across soil–plant-atmosphere continuum

• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108632
• Publication Date: 2024-04-04T16:17:01Z
• Authors: Meng-Ying Li; Wei Wang; Yue Ma; Yinglong Chen; Hong-Yan Tao; Ze-Ying Zhao; Peng-Yang Wang; Li Zhu; Baoluo Ma; Yun-Li Xiao; Shi-Sheng Li; Muhammad Ashraf; Wen-Ying Wang; Xiao-Bin Xiong; Ying Zhu; Jin-Lin Zhang; Momena Irum; Ya-Jie Song; Levis Kavagi; You-Cai Xiong
• Keywords: Plastic bag; Soil carbon; Carbon Footprint

Plastic fragments are widely found in the soil profile of terrestrial ecosystems, forming plastic footprint and posing increasing threat to functionality carbon (C) footprint. It is unclear how affects C cycling, particularly permanent sequestration. Integrated field observations (including 13C labelling) were made using polyethylene polylactic acid (low-, medium- high-concentrations as intensifying footprint) landfilling soil, track flow along soil–plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC). The result indicated that increased substantially reduced photosynthetic assimilation (p < 0.05), regardless fragment degradability. Besides reducing sink strength, relative intensity emission significantly, displaying elevated source. Moreover, root fixation declined significantly from 21.95 19.2 mg m−2, simultaneously length density, weight specific diameter surface area clearly reduced. Similar trends observed two types > 0.05). Particularly, aggregate stability was lowered affected by fragments, which accelerated decomposition rate newly sequestered More importantly, net rhizodeposition averagely 39.77 29.41 directly led significant decline sequestration soil. Therefore, considerably worsened polythene biodegradable fragments. findings unveiled serious effects residues on across SPAC, implying current assessment methods overlook their global impact effects.