About this Research Topic
Over the past few decades, microplastic (MPs, <5 mm) concentrations natural environments have been increasing are becoming recognized as an emerging pollutant worldwide. As MPs have perfect dispersion and high reactivity in the environment, it is easier to enter bio-organisms, which poses a greater risk to the eco-environment and biological health. Microorganisms, including prokaryotes and single-celled eukaryotes, play a key role in all aspects of the carbon cycle. MPs can significantly affect microbial activities, community structures, and diversities. Microorganisms are sensitive to environmental changes induced by MPs, and hence the carbon cycle participated by the microorganisms would interfere with them. For instance, Soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) represents one of the largest reduced C pools on Earth and is a crucial component of soil biogeochemical cycling. Changes in DOC can serve as a sensitive indicator of changes in soil quality, for example, nutrient availability, structure, moisture, and soil organic matter degradation. MPs like polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) have the potential to increase the DOC content of silty loam soils and alter its biogeochemistry. In addition, positive or negative priming effects of MPs on SOM degradation could impact soil basal respiration rates and gaseous C emissions. Furthermore, MPs may also have a significant effect on soil CH4 emission. Therefore, studies on the impacts of microplastics on microbial participation in the carbon cycle are necessary.
This Research Topic focuses on how microplastics affect microbial activity, community structure, and diversity in all environments, e.g. in, soil, water, and in vivo. Moreover, it further focuses on exploring how microplastics affect the mechanisms of microbial participation in the carbon cycle, whether concerning organic or inorganic carbon.
This Research Topic is to present original research and review articles focusing on microbial regulation of the carbon cycle affected by microplastics. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
• Effect of microplastics on microbial activity
• Effect of microplastics on microbial community structure
• Effect of microplastics on microbial diversity
• How microplastics participate in the microbial carbon cycle in soil/water
• Microbial carbon cycle in organisms affected by microplastics
This Research Topic focuses on how microplastics affect microbial activity, community structure, and diversity in all environments, e.g. in, soil, water, and in vivo. Moreover, it further focuses on exploring how microplastics affect the mechanisms of microbial participation in the carbon cycle, whether concerning organic or inorganic carbon.
This Research Topic is to present original research and review articles focusing on microbial regulation of the carbon cycle affected by microplastics. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
• Effect of microplastics on microbial activity
• Effect of microplastics on microbial community structure
• Effect of microplastics on microbial diversity
• How microplastics participate in the microbial carbon cycle in soil/water
• Microbial carbon cycle in organisms affected by microplastics
Keywords: Microplastics, Carbon Cycle, DOC, SOM, PET
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
