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ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Response of Soil Greenhouse Gases Emissions
to Microplastics Accompanied with Earthworms
and Biochar from a Sandy-Loam Soil
1
International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University,
Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
2
School of Environmental Engineering, Nanjing Institute of Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211167, China
3
Yellow River Floodplain Ecosystems Research Station, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Xingyang, China
Submission date: 2024-12-24
Final revision date: 2025-03-11
Acceptance date: 2025-04-06
Online publication date: 2025-12-03
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Microplastics (MPs), biochar, and earthworms are critical yet understudied drivers of greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions in agricultural soils. However, limited research has explored the interactive effects
of these factors on soil GHG emissions and soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. Here, we conducted a
full-factorial mesocosm experiment (2×2×2 design) to assess the individual and combined influences
of PVC microplastics (1% w/w), biochar (1% w/w), and the epigeic earthworm on carbon dioxide (CO2),
nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) emissions in a sandy-loam soil. The results revealed that MPs
increased soil CO2 emissions while suppressing N2O and CH4 emissions. Earthworms elevated CO2
and N2O emissions by 42.3% and 27.3%, respectively. Biochar amplified CO2 release by 20.6% and
reduced N2O by 26.1%. The interaction between MPs and earthworms significantly influenced CO2
emissions and the global warming potential (GWP). Both MPs and biochar significantly enhanced
earthworm survival rates by 24-33% but did not affect individual biomass. Soil properties were partially
influenced by the individual or combined effects of MPs, biochar, and earthworms. Overall, these
results underscore the need for integrated amendment strategies to mitigate GHG emissions in MPcontaminated
agroecosystems, balancing carbon sequestration priorities with soil health preservation.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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