Increasing Temperature and Microplastic Fibers Jointly Influence Soil Aggregation by Saprobic Fungi.

ABSTRACT: Microplastic pollution and increasing temperature have potential to influence soil quality; yet little is known about their effects on soil aggregation, a key determinant of soil quality. Given the importance of fungi for soil aggregation, we investigated the impacts of increasing temperature and microplastic fibers on aggregation by carrying out a soil incubation experiment in which we inoculated soil individually with 5 specific strains of soil saprobic fungi. Our treatments were temperature (ambient temperature of 25°C or temperature increased by 3°C, abruptly versus gradually) and microplastic fibers (control and 0.4% w/w). We evaluated the percentage of water stable aggregates (WSA) and hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate (FDA) as an indicator of fungal biomass. Microplastic fiber add

SUBMITTER: Liang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6742716 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature