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Editorial: Exogenous carbon-based materials in soil ecosystems
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This editorial introduced a research collection examining how different exogenous carbon-based materials — including crop straw, biochar, carbon nanomaterials, and microplastics — affect soil ecosystems. The collection aimed to fill knowledge gaps about how these diverse materials interact with soil processes, microorganisms, and plant growth. Understanding microplastics in the context of other carbon inputs to soil is important for predicting their effects on soil health and agricultural productivity.
Various exogenous carbon-based materials (ECMs) such as crop straw, biochar, carbon-based nano-fertilizer, and microplastics have accumulated in soil ecosystems. These ECMs may cause direct and indirect impacts on soil properties, processes, productivity, and health, thus potentially changing the function and stability of soil ecosystems. However, large knowledge gaps still exist on ECMs in soil ecosystems, including their accumulation, interactions with soil components, and potential ecological impacts and risks. Therefore, more efforts are needed to further understand the impacts especially the long-term effects of ECMs in soil ecosystems. By generating new knowledge, this Research Topic aims to improve the understanding of the effects of ECMs on soil ecosystems, including soil quality, nutrient cycling, microbial ecology, crop growth, environmental health and ecological risk.
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Editorial: Effects of microplastics on soil ecosystems
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This editorial introduces a research collection on the effects of microplastics on soil ecosystems, summarising current understanding of how microplastic particles originating from synthetic fibres, microbeads, and fragmented debris accumulate in soils and affect microbial communities, plant growth, soil structure, and water retention. The editorial highlights the importance of soil microbial communities as a key target for assessing the ecosystem-level consequences of microplastic contamination.
Editorial: Impact of microplastics on soil health and plant physiology in agricultural ecosystems
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This editorial introduces a research collection on microplastic impacts in agricultural soil ecosystems, highlighting how plastic contamination alters soil biogeochemical processes, microbial activity, and plant physiology, and calling for a precautionary approach to plastic use in farming.
Editorial: Micro-and nanoplastics in agroecosystems: plant responses, soil interactions, and remediation strategies
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This editorial summarizes four studies on tiny plastic particles in farm soil, testing effects on crops like chicory, pakchoi, soybean and amaranth. Results varied by dose, particle type and combinations with other substances like manganese or antibiotics, and biochar partly reduced some plant and soil problems while affecting soil carbon release differently.
Microplastic effects on carbon cycling processes in soils
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics affect carbon cycling processes in soils, including their influence on microbial activity, plant growth, and litter decomposition. Since microplastics are themselves carbon-based materials, they can directly alter soil carbon stocks while also indirectly shifting microbial communities. The study calls for a major research effort to understand the widespread effects of microplastics on soil functioning and terrestrial ecosystem health.
The rise of artificial soil carbon inputs: Reviewing microplastic pollution effects in the soil environment
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This review examines how microplastic pollution affects soil health, finding that agricultural practices like plastic mulch use and waste application are the primary sources of soil microplastic contamination. Researchers found that microplastics generally increase erosion risk, weaken soil structure, and alter water retention, though effects vary depending on soil type and plastic characteristics. The impact on plant health and soil microbial communities was highly variable, with some studies even finding positive effects, highlighting the complexity of microplastic-soil interactions.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.