A new study by Lozano et al. (2024) shows that microplastic fibres can change the way soil fungi behave—depending on how dry the soil is. Soil fungi are essential for healthy ecosystems, as they help break down organic matter, support plant growth, and cycle nutrients.
The researchers found that:
In normal (well-watered) conditions, microplastics reduced the variety of fungi. This may be due to harmful chemicals released by the plastics or changes to plant roots.
During drought, microplastics increased the variety of fungi, including plant pathogens. This may be because microplastics help the soil hold more water and improve its structure.
Interestingly, when both microplastics and drought were present, their harmful effects seemed to cancel each other out to some extent. However, microplastics still disrupted how fungi support other ecosystem functions—sometimes even reversing beneficial effects.
Click HERE to read the full study