Several earlier studies reported that microplastics (MP) accumulated on soil surfaces could be transported into the subsoil and ingested by soil biota, such as earthworms. The present study explores how networks of earthworm burrows and MP (low‐density polyethylene, LDPE) in subsoil affect the soil hydraulic properties and saturated water flow. A repacked and saturated sandy soil column experiment was conducted in an environment‐controlled laboratory with earthworms (anecic, Lumbricus terrestris) inoculated into the soil columns to form networks of macropore. The macropore network parameters (i.e., number, length, volume, diameter, soil saturated conductivity, and tracer breakthrough curves of soil columns) have been determined. The relative arrival times of the tracer mass (i.e. T5%, T25%, and T50%) were determined in order to describe the shapes of the breakthrough curves. The results show that in some breakthrough curves for the treatments with earthworms, there are two peaks. This is an indication that water was flowing faster in the macropores than in the soil matrix. There is a significant correlation between 5% arrival time and the median burrow volume, and the correlation coefficient was .571 (at the level of p < .05). The formation of macropores due to the burrowing activities of earthworms is considered the main cause of nonequilibrium water flow in the present study. The MP did not show any significant effect on the saturated water flow. This may be attribute to the low concentrations of MP used in the present study.

中文翻译：

---

实验室土壤柱设置中的微塑料和worm洞穴对土壤大孔水流的影响

几项较早的研究报告说，积聚在土壤表面的微塑料（MP）可以运入地下，并被土壤生物（如，）吸收。本研究探讨了地下土壤中的洞穴和MP（低密度聚乙烯，LDPE）网络如何影响土壤的水力性质和饱和水流。在一个环境控制的实验室中对with（阴阳，陆生Lu虫）进行了重新包装的饱和沙土柱试验）接种到土壤柱中形成大孔网络。确定了大孔网络参数（即数量，长度，体积，直径，土壤饱和电导率和土壤柱的示踪剂穿透曲线）。确定示踪物质的相对到达时间（即T5％，T25％和T50％），以描述突破曲线的形状。结果表明，在breakthrough处理的一些突破曲线中，有两个峰。这表明水在大孔中的流动比在土壤基质中的流动快。5％的到达时间与洞穴中位数之间存在显着的相关性，相关系数为.571（在p水平 <.05）。由于study的穴居活动而形成的大孔被认为是本研究中水流不平衡的主要原因。MP对饱和水流量无明显影响。这可能归因于本研究中使用的MP浓度低。