Microplastic pollution threatens mangrove carbon sequestration capacity

) and two linkage pathways in deeper soils (20-40 cm). Microplastics in topsoil were correlated with more complex microbial networks, consisting of 150 nodes and 237 links, relative to 113 nodes and 196 links in deeper soils. Furthermore, we directly linked elevated microplastic pollution in surface soils to secondary industry output, which positively correlated with the methanogens-to-methanotrophs gene ratio, establishing a clear anthropogenic driver for this shift. These findings reveal a critical, previously unrecognized mechanism by which industrial plastic pollution may compromise the net carbon sequestration capacity of mangrove ecosystems. Mitigating microplastic discharge is therefore not only a waste management issue but is also essential for preserving the climate-regulating function of these crucial habitats amid global conservation efforts.