Microbial diversity on microplastics and in soils. Microplastics and soils

Plastic mulching is a common practice of agricultural management and often combined with fertilization. Bio-degradable plastics (BPs) are becoming an alternative to non-degradable plastics. However, the effects of fertilizers on the microbial communities on BPs remain unclear. Here, we explored the responses of the plastisphere to different fertilization practices in soil-based microcosms containing three BPs; polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), and poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), and one non-biodegradable plastic (low-density polyethylene, LDPE). The 16S and ITS rRNA gene-based Illumina sequencing method was used to identify the bacterial and fungal communities on the plastics and in the soils.