Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Enhancing carbon restoration and ecosystem resilience in global drylands via water-to-carbon biotransformation strategies

Researchers synthesized thousands of experiments on dryland farming and found that combining crop diversification, efficient irrigation, soil mulching, and soil health practices can significantly restore carbon to depleted soils while improving water use efficiency. The study argues these strategies are practical pathways for combating climate change and food insecurity in the world's most water-stressed regions.

2025 Communications Earth & Environment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Why do farmers care about rented land? Investigating the context of farmland tenure

Researchers investigated why some farmers who rent land invest less in soil conservation than landowners, finding that rental duration, relationship quality, and plot characteristics all matter. Soil degradation on rented farmland can accelerate microplastic accumulation from plastic mulch films that tenants may be less motivated to properly remove.

2021 Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Conservation Tillage on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity in Black Soil Region: Evidence from Heilongjiang Province, China

This study evaluated the effects of conservation tillage practices on agricultural green total factor productivity, finding that reduced tillage improves environmental efficiency metrics but requires management adjustments to maintain yields.

2024 Land 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Selection of Suitable Organic Amendments to Balance Agricultural Economic Benefits and Carbon Sequestration

Researchers evaluated organic soil amendments for balancing agricultural productivity with soil health, finding that amendment type and application rate affect nutrient cycling, microbial activity, and the potential for microplastic introduction via compost or sludge.

2024 Plants 5 citations
Article Tier 2

A critical review of biochar-based nitrogen fertilizers and their effects on crop production and the environment

Researchers reviewed biochar-based nitrogen fertilizers — materials that combine charred organic matter with nitrogen — as a way to reduce fertilizer loss to the environment, which currently contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution, while improving crop yields and soil health.

2022 Biochar 111 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Towards Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions Agriculture in North Africa through Climate-Smart Agriculture: A Systematic Review

This systematic review found that climate-smart agriculture practices in North Africa, including conservation tillage, agroforestry, and improved water management, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining crop productivity. However, adoption remains limited due to lack of localized research, policy gaps, and insufficient financial incentives for farmers in the region.

2023 Climate 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards Sustainable Management of Mineral Fertilizers in China: An Integrative Analysis and Review

This review examines strategies for sustainable management of mineral fertilizers in China, synthesizing research on improving nutrient use efficiency and reducing environmental impacts from fertilizer overuse. It is an agricultural science study unrelated to microplastics.

2020 Sustainability 28 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Resource Spatial Mismatch on the Configuration Analysis of Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity

This study analyzed how the spatial distribution of agricultural resources affects green farming productivity in China from 2005 to 2021. While not directly about microplastics, it found that pollutant emissions from fertilizers and petroleum products significantly hinder sustainable agriculture. The findings are indirectly relevant because agricultural plastic waste, including mulch films, is a major source of microplastic contamination in farmland soil.

2024 Agriculture 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Trade-offs among environmental impacts for organic vegetable farms with contrasting input levels

Researchers conducted a life cycle assessment of three contrasting organic vegetable farms in France -- open-field, sheltered, and microfarm -- evaluating trade-offs among environmental impacts such as climate change, eutrophication, and land use, finding that production system complexity and input intensity create distinct environmental footprint profiles.

2025
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Effect of microplastics on carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycle in farmland soil: A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis of 102 studies found that microplastics in farmland soil increased soil organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, and microbial biomass nitrogen, but also elevated CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions through enhanced carbon mineralization and denitrification. Microplastic biodegradability, size, concentration, and soil properties all drove these effects, suggesting agricultural microplastic pollution may worsen greenhouse gas emissions from farmland.

2025 Environmental Pollution 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Moderate Nitrogen Reduction Increases Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Positively Affects Microbial Communities in Agricultural Soils

A field study found that moderate nitrogen reduction did not significantly reduce crop yield due to increased nitrogen use efficiency driven by higher available phosphorus and potassium, while short-term nitrogen changes had limited effects on soil microbial community structure but increased nitrification-related bacterial functions.

2023 Agriculture 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Energy budget and carbon footprint in a wheat and maize system under ridge furrow strategy in dry semi humid areas

This agricultural study compared the energy use and carbon footprint of wheat-maize farming systems using different irrigation and planting strategies in semi-arid China. The research has no direct relevance to microplastic research but informs sustainable farming practices that reduce overall environmental impact.

2021 Scientific Reports 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating Carbon Sequestration and Soil Organic Carbon Enhancement with Innovative Slow-Release Micronutrient Products

Researchers tested innovative slow-release micronutrient fertilizers to see whether they could boost soil carbon storage while supporting wheat growth. They found that certain products increased soil organic carbon levels and improved crop yields compared to conventional fertilizers. The study suggests these products could offer a dual benefit of enhancing agricultural productivity while helping to sequester carbon in soils.

2025 Open Journal of Soil Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in agricultural soil: Unveiling their role in shaping soil properties and driving greenhouse gas emissions

This review examines how microplastics in agricultural soils affect carbon and nitrogen cycles and alter greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers found that microplastics reduce soil water retention, decrease soil respiration, and increase emissions of carbon monoxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The study reveals that microplastic contamination in farmland may have broader climate implications by disrupting the soil processes that regulate greenhouse gas fluxes.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainability Through Bio-Agriculture: Carbon Dioxide Reduction (CDR) Plus Biodiversity Recovery

Researchers examined bio-agriculture approaches for simultaneous carbon dioxide reduction and biodiversity recovery, arguing that technological carbon capture strategies often overlook the parallel biodiversity crisis and proposing integrated agricultural solutions.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

[Advances in the Effects of Microplastics on Soil N2O Emissions and Nitrogen Transformation].

This review synthesizes current research on how microplastics affect soil nitrogen cycling, including N2O emissions, nitrogen transformation processes, functional enzyme activity, and nitrogen-related genes, highlighting inconsistent findings due to variability in microplastic properties, experimental conditions, and spatial-temporal scales.

2024 PubMed
Article Tier 2

[Advances in Research of the Effects and Mechanisms of Polyethylene Microplastics on Soil Nitrogen Transformation].

This review examines the effects and mechanisms by which polyethylene microplastics — the dominant microplastic type in Chinese agricultural soils — influence elemental cycling processes in soil, summarizing findings on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus dynamics under microplastic exposure.

2024 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Straw Return with Biodegradable Film Mulch: A Synergistic Cultivation Measure with Environmental and Economic Benefits Based on Life Cycle Assessment

Researchers used life cycle assessment to evaluate straw return combined with biodegradable plastic film mulch as a cultivation strategy for Chinese farmland, comparing environmental and economic outcomes against conventional practices. The combination reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved soil health while remaining cost-competitive.

2024 Agronomy 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and analysis of surface macroplastic contamination on arable areas

Researchers quantified macroplastic contamination on German farmland, finding that fields fertilized with compost had 42 times more plastic particles per hectare than unfertilized fields, indicating that compost application and roadside littering are major pathways for plastic entering agricultural soils.

2021 Journal of Soils and Sediments 11 citations
Article Tier 2

How to incentivize farmers to adopt and recycle high-standard plastic mulch in China: economic subsidies, government regulations or social norms?

A survey of 635 farmers in Gansu Province, China assessed drivers of high-standard plastic mulch adoption and recycling, finding that economic subsidies were more effective than government mandates or social norms in encouraging environmentally responsible mulch management.

2025 Frontiers in Environmental Science
Article Tier 2

Circular nutrient management through slurry separation and pyrolysis: a field study

Scientists tested a new way to recycle farm waste by separating liquid and solid parts, then turning the solids into charcoal-like material called biochar. The liquid parts worked well as fertilizer and produced less harmful greenhouse gas emissions than regular animal waste. This method could help farmers grow food more sustainably while reducing environmental pollution that can affect air and water quality in farming communities.

2026 Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Differential impacts of microplastics on carbon and nitrogen cycling in plant-soil systems: A meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of 3,338 observations found that microplastics increased soil CO2 emissions by 25.7% but also boosted soil carbon storage through increases in total carbon (53.3%), soil organic carbon (25.4%), and microbial biomass carbon (19.6%). However, microplastics decreased plant aboveground biomass and reduced nitrate and ammonia volatilization, suggesting that while soil carbon sink capacity may increase, agricultural productivity could suffer.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

The potential contribution of microplastic pollution by organic fertilizers in agricultural soils of Bangladesh: quantification, characterization, and risk appraisals

Researchers found an average of 1,530 microplastic particles per kilogram of commercial organic fertilizer in Bangladesh, estimating that annual fertilizer application could introduce up to 1,387 metric tons of microplastics to agricultural soils nationwide.

2023 Frontiers in Environmental Science 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and identification of microplastics in organic fertilizers: the implication for the manufacture and safe application

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in 23 commercial organic fertilizers, finding widespread presence at levels that could meaningfully contribute to agricultural soil pollution when fertilizers are applied. The results raise concerns about organic fertilizers as an underappreciated pathway for microplastics entering farm soils and the food system.

2022 6 citations