Effect of exposure to face mask waste on pond fungi community (Long reads)
This study investigated the effects of polypropylene (PP) particles from medical face masks on ecosystem functioning and fungal communities in a pond. We enclosed alder (Alnus glutinosa) leaf litter in fine mesh cotton bags containing either PP particles or conifer wood shavings, or without additional particles, with the wood shavings serving as a reference for naturally occurring, highly refractory, organic matter. We manipulated PP particle size (macro- or microplastic) and leaching status (leached versus unleached) and quantified organic matter decomposition – measured as leaf mass- and cotton tensile strength loss – at five intervals over five weeks. Fungal biomass was estimated based on ergosterol analysis, and fungal community composition and functional gene abundance were characterized using DNA metagenomics at two time points.