The Tropical Accelerator: How Climate Fuels Fungal Plastic Degradation

Abstract

Plastic degradation is shaped by the interaction between polymer properties, microbial activity, and the surrounding environment, yet these processes are rarely considered within a unified climatic context. Fungi are increasingly recognized as important agents of synthetic plastic degradation, but the influence of tropical climate on fungal degradation has not been comprehensively synthesized. This review integrates evidence showing that the combination of high solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, elevated temperatures, and seasonal wet–dry cycles characteristic of tropical regions accelerates abiotic polymer weathering while influencing fungal colonization, plastisphere succession, and enzymatic activity. We synthesize these interacting physical, chemical, and biological processes into the Tropical Accelerator Framework, which recognizes climate as an active regulator of microbial degradation rather than a passive environmental condition. We further discuss how climate-explicit predictive models, multi-omics approaches, and climate-informed bioprospecting can improve the prediction and application of biodegradation under natural conditions. This framework provides a new conceptual basis for understanding plastic degradation across environments and for developing climate-responsive bioremediation strategies.