Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging global change factor with the potential to affect key agroecosystem services. Yet, MPs enter soils with highly variable properties (e.g., type, shape, size, concentration, and aging duration), reflecting their heterogeneous chemical compositions and diverse sources. The impacts of MPs with such varying properties on agroecosystem services remain poorly understood, limiting effective risk assessment and mitigation efforts. We synthesized 6315 global observations to assess the broad impacts of microplastic properties on key agroecosystem services, including crop productivity and physiology, soil carbon sequestration, nutrient retention, water regulation, and soil physical and microbial properties. MPs generally caused significant declines in aboveground productivity, crop physiology, water-holding capacity, and nutrient retention. However, the direction and magnitude of these effects varied considerably depending on the specific properties of MPs. The hazards posed by MPs to aboveground productivity, antioxidant systems, and root activity were size- and dose-dependent, with larger particles at higher concentrations inducing greater damage. Prolonged microplastic exposure impaired crop photosynthesis and soil nutrient retention, but most other ecosystem services (e.g., belowground productivity, antioxidant systems, and root activity) showed gradual recovery over time. Fiber-shaped MPs positively influenced crop aboveground and belowground productivity and soil carbon sequestration, potentially due to their linear configuration enhancing soil aggregation and connectivity. Polymer type emerged as the most prominent driver of the complex and unpredictable responses of agroecosystem services to MPs, with biodegradable polymers unexpectedly exerting larger negative effects on crop productivity, root activity, photosynthesis, and soil nutrient retention than other polymers. This synthesis underscores the critical role of microplastic properties in determining their ecological impacts, providing essential insights for property-specific risk assessment and mitigation strategies to address microplastic pollution in agroecosystems.

Societal Impact StatementSolar parks enable renewable energy production at a large scale, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the effects of this change in land use on vegetation and soil health are still largely unknown. In this study, we determined the impacts of solar parks on vegetation, soil biota and soil carbon between and below solar panels. We found lower plant and microbial biomass below the panels, while no differences in soil carbon pools were observed. The results stress the urgent need to design future solar parks that prevent soil degradation while still producing the renewable energy needed to combat climate change.Summary Solar parks, large-scale arrays of photovoltaic panels, are a unique land use and play an important role in the renewable energy transition. However, the solar panels create shade and change the microclimate, potentially affecting plant growth and carbon inputs to the soil. These changes can influence key soil properties critical to long-term carbon storage and overall soil health. This study investigated the impact of commercial solar parks on plant productivity and the colonisation of roots by mycorrhizal fungi, soil organic matter (SOM), soil microbial community biomass and composition and litter decomposition in 17 solar parks with contrasting shading levels across the Netherlands. Soil samples and plant biomass samples were collected between and below the solar panels. The microclimate (temperature, moisture) was measured continuously over the growing season and cumulative solar irradiation during the growing season in relation to the solar panels was modelled. Results show that above- and below-ground plant biomass as well as mycorrhizal colonisation were significantly lower below than between panels, while we did not find differences for SOM, carbon stocks and hot water extractable carbon. Plant productivity related negatively to the extent of light interception by the panels. Furthermore, fungal and bacterial biomass and the F:B ratio were lower below compared to between the panels while decomposition rates did not differ. The severe decrease of plant biomass inputs in combination with maintained rates of decomposition are expected to result in decreased SOM stocks and soil health over time and suggest the need for guidelines for ecologically sound solar park designs to prevent soil damage.

Background and AimsPrescribed burning is a widely used management technique, often employed to restore grasslands affected by woody plants encroachment. However, its interaction with pre-existing plant species in influencing soil properties remains unclear.MethodsWe conducted a diachronic soil survey to assess the evolution of several soil properties in the mid-term (up to 18 months) after burning, including physico-chemical parameters and microbial biomass carbon on soils under vegetation patches of different plant functional types and life forms. Vegetation patches included Ericaceae and legume shrubs, ferns, and biocrusts dominated by lichens. Soil samples were taken pre-burning, immediately after burning and 9 and 18 months after.ResultsOur findings indicate that while some soil properties returned to pre-burning levels in the mid-term (i. e., soil cations and NH4+), others, such as available phosphorous (P Olsen), exhibited a significant decline that persisted even 18 months later. Furthermore, soils under legumes initially displayed higher levels of soil carbon and nitrogen compared to other vegetation patches, but this distinction diminished over time. This was likely due to legumes' susceptibility to fire damage, in contrast to the greater resilience of Ericaceae shrubs.ConclusionOur study highlights the complex vegetation patch-dependent effects of prescribed burning on soil properties. While legumes initially enhance soil carbon and nitrogen, their contribution decreases over time due to fire sensitivity. Some soil parameters recover in the mid-term, but nutrients like available phosphorus continue to decline. Fire management strategies should consider plant diversity and recovery time to mitigate soil fertility loss.

Changing climate and shifts in weather patterns have significantly affected food production systems, which is evident in the form of crop damage, reduced yield, and market instability. Water- and chemical-intensive agriculture practices have made the sector a major contributor of carbon emissions, affecting the global climate, nutrient cycling, food security, etc. The adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices can develop agricultural systems that effectively balance agricultural productivity and food security, and contribute to climate change mitigation. The present study is a synthesis of datasets from 116 published articles to assess the changes in soil and its carbon stocks while transitioning from conventional to climate-smart agricultural practices (CSA) in India. The effects of these practices in different edaphic and environmental conditions across the country have also been studied. The meta-analysis of the data was performed using OpenMEE and Jamovi software. Further, a review of existing literature on the impact of CSA practices on crop yield has also been presented. Conservational tillage, integrated nutrient management, and agroforestry-based systems increased the SOC buildup rate by 17.1%, 25.9%, and 39.2%, respectively, compared to the conventional agriculture practices. Climatic factors (temperature and precipitation); edaphic factors (soil pH, depth, and texture); and experiment duration significantly influence the sequestration potential of agroecosystems. Based on the results, the present study concludes that CSA practices curb CO2 emissions and improve soil quality and crop yield along with sequestering carbon. These practices, therefore, offer a win-win strategy for socio-economic development and achieving the target of net-zero emissions by 2070.

Overgrazing is the primary human-induced cause of soil degradation in the Caatinga biome, intensely threatening lands vulnerable to desertification. Grazing exclusion, a simple and cost-effective practice, could restore soils' ecological functions. However, comprehensive insights into the effects of overgrazing and grazing exclusion on Caatinga soils' multifunctionality are lacking. This study examines (i) how overgrazing impacts multiple soil indicators, functions, and overall soil health (SH) and (ii) whether natural early forest growth post-grazing exclusion enhances critical soil functions for ecosystem restoration. We compared preserved dense forests, longterm overgrazed pastures (over 30 years), and young fenced-off open forests (three years old) along a longitudinal transect in the Caatinga biome: 36 degrees W (Sao Bento do Una), 37 degrees W (Sertania), and 40 degrees W (Araripina). Soil samples from the 0-20 cm layer were analyzed for thirteen physical, chemical, and biological indicators for a structured SH assessment, calculating index scores based on soil functions. Forest-to-pasture transition and subsequent overgrazing consistently compacted the soils and decreased nitrogen, carbon (C), microbial biomass C, and glomalin protein, thus degrading the soil's physical, chemical, and biological functions. Regionally, this conversion depleted 14.7 Mg C ha(-1) and reduced overall SH scores by 18%, severely impacting biological functions ( e.g.,-43% for sustaining biological activity). No significant differences in functions or SH were found between grazed pastures and open forests. SH scores and C stocks were highly interrelated (r > 0.5; p < 0.001), suggesting that C losses and SH deterioration were closely aligned. We conclude that overgrazing degrades soil multifunctionality and health across the Caatinga biome, with biological functions most severely damaged and legacies obstructing soil recovery for up to three years of grazing exclusion. Future SH studies should include open forest chronosequences with older ages and active restoration practices ( e.g., planting trees or green manure) to enhance Caatinga's ecological restoration knowledge and efforts.

Alpine grassland ecosystems play a crucial role in the global carbon (C) balance by contributing to the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool; thus, quantifying SOC stocks in these ecosystems is essential for understanding potential gains or losses in soil C under the threat of climate change and anthropogenic activities. Remote sensing plays a vital role in estimating SOC stocks; however, identifying reliable remote sensing proxies to enhance SOC prediction remains a challenge. Information on soil C cycling proxies can reveal how the balance between C inputs and outputs affects SOC. Therefore, these proxies could be effective indicators of SOC variations. In this study, we explored the potential of satellite-derived attributes related to soil C cycling proxies for predicting SOC stocks. We derived remote sensing indices such as gross primary production, soil respiration, soil moisture, land surface temperature, radiation, and soil disturbance and assessed the relationships between these indices and SOC stocks via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). We evaluated the effectiveness of these indices in predicting SOC stocks, we compared PLS-SEM and quantile regression forest (QRF) models across different variable combinations, including static, intra-annual, and inter-annual information. The PLS-SEM results demonstrated the suitability of the derived remote sensing indices and their interactions in reflecting processes related to soil C balance. The QRF models, using these indices, achieved promising prediction accuracies, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.54 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.79 kg m-2 at the topmost 10 cm of soil. However, the prediction performance generally decreased with increasing soil depth, up to 30 cm. The results also revealed that adding intra- and inter-annual information to remotely sensed proxies did not increase the prediction accuracy. Our study revealed that gross primary production, soil respiration, soil moisture, land surface temperature, radiation, and soil disturbance are effective proxies for representing factors influencing soil C balance and mapping SOC stocks in alpine grasslands.

Biodegradable plastics (BPs) are known to decompose into micro-nano plastics (BMNPs) more readily than conventional plastics (CPs). Given the environmental risks posed by BMNPs in soil ecosystems, their impact has garnered increasing attention. However, research focusing on the toxic effects of BMNPs on soils remains relatively limited. The degradation process and duration of BMNPs in soil are influenced by numerous factors, which directly impact the toxic effects of BMNPs. This highlights the urgent need for further research. In this context, this review delineates the classification of BPs, investigates the degradation processes of BPs along with their influencing factors, summarizes the toxic effects on soil ecosystems, and explores the potential mechanisms that underlie these toxic effects. Finally, it provides an outlook on related research concerning BMNPs in soil. The results indicate that specific BMNPs release additives at a faster rate during decomposition, degradation, and aging, with certain compounds exhibiting increased bioavailability. Importantly, a substantial body of research has shown that BMNPs generally manifest more pronounced toxic effects in comparison to conventional micro-nano plastics (CMNPs). The toxic effects associated with BMNPs encompass a decline in soil quality and microbial biomass, disruption of nutrient cycling, inhibition of plant root growth, and negative impacts on invertebrate reproduction, survival, and fertilization rates. The rough and complex surfaces of BMNPs contribute to increased mechanical damage to tested organisms, enhance absorption by microorganisms, and disrupt normal physiological functions. Notably, the toxic effects of BMNPs on soil ecosystems are influenced by factors including concentration, type of BMNPs, exposure conditions, degradation products, and the nature of additives used. Therefore, it is crucial to standardize detection technologies and toxicity testing conditions for BMNPs. In conclusion, this review provides scientific evidence that supports effective prevention and management of BMNP pollution, assessment of its ecological risks, and governance of BMNPs-related products.

The Bulianta Coal Mine is among the problematic coal mining areas in China that is still creating environmental damage, especially associated with soil destruction. Therefore, a scientific investigation was conducted to establish a scientific basis for evaluating the impact of planted forest on soil physical and chemical properties, as well as the ecological benefits following 15 years of vegetation restoration in the area. The soil physicochemical characteristics and distribution of organic carbon storage in the 0-80 cm layer soils of Pinus sylvestris forests, Prunus sibirica forests, and Hippophae rhamnoides forests restored after 5, 10, and 15 years were investigated. The immersion method was used to determine soil porosity and density followed by the determination of soil indicators, and a statistical ANOVA test was applied to examine the differential effects of different vegetation types and restoration years on soil properties. The results clearly demonstrated the following: (1) The recovery of vegetation was achieved after a period of 15 years, with the average bulk density of the 0-80 cm soil layer as follows: P. sylvestris forest (1.513 gcm-3) > P. sibirica forest (1.272 gcm-3) > H. rhamnoides forest (1.224 gcm-3), and the differences among different forest types were statistically significant (p P. sibirica forest (44.56 thm-2) > H. rhamnoides forest (41.87 thm-2). In summary, during the ecological vegetation restoration process in the Bulianta Core Mine, both P. sylvestris forest and P. sibirica forest exhibit superior carbon storage capacities compared to H. rhamnoides forest, as well as more effective soil improvement outcomes.

Activity data from a 30-year on-farm experiment with six soil-management treatments were used to develop inventory data for environmental partial life-cycle assessment (LCA). The purpose was to compare the treatments based on environmental outcomes and evaluate conservation agriculture (CA) in Australia's dryland cropping zone. Multiple trade-offs were revealed that highlight the need for a nuanced approach to sustainable intensification and show that rules-based CA is not sufficient to guarantee low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, nor low overall environmental impact. Nutrient mining in dryland cropping even under CA can lead to losses in soil carbon that can double GHG intensity. In these systems, additional nutrient inputs can reduce the loss of soil carbon as well as net GHG emissions, demonstrating the critical need to include the effects of soil carbon change in LCA to prevent perverse outcomes. The treatment involving strategic tillage and nutrient balancing, along with stubble retention, had the lowest GHG intensity, but there was a trade-off with the higher embedded impacts across several other environmental categories. Higher fertiliser input could lead to toxicity impacts, due to heavy-metal content, that contribute significantly to the Human health endpoint. However, limitations in modelling such local, site-specific impacts were considerable and more research is needed to address this. In general, trade-offs were found to exist between impacts from on-farm activities versus upstream manufacture of inputs; between GHG emissions and land use (yield) versus other environmental categories; and between different on-farm GHG emission sources. Despite these trade-offs, the treatments all had similar overall scores in the Human health and Ecosystems damage categories. There was no single treatment with low, or high, impact scores across all environmental indicators, indicating that trade-offs need to be carefully considered when making farm-management decisions in the context of net-zero or carbon-neutral farming.

Snow distribution has been altered over the past decades under global warming, with a significant reduction in duration and extent of snow cover and an increase in unprecedented snowstorms across large areas in cold regions. The altered snow conditions are likely to have immediate (in winter) and carry-over or legacy (which an extended effect might continue in the following spring, summer and autumn) impacts on soil processes and functioning, but a quantification of the legacy effect of snow coverage alternation is still lacking. Furthermore, studies investigating the effect of snow cover changes on soil respiration, soil carbon pools and microbial activity are increasing, but contrasting results of different studies makes it difficult to assess the overall effect of snow cover changes and the underlying mechanisms, thus a systematic and comprehensive meta-analysis is required. In this study, we synthesized the results from 60 papers based on field snow manipulation experiments and conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate immediate and prolonged effects on eight variables related to soil carbon dynamics and microbial activity to snow coverage alternation. Results showed that snow removal had no significant effect on soil respiration, but increased dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (11.5%) and fungal abundance (32.0%). By contrast, snow addition significantly increased soil respiration (16.3%) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) (6.6%). Snow addition had immediate and prolonged impacts on soil carbon dynamics and microbial activity lasting from winter to the following autumn, whereas an effect of snow removal on total organic carbon (TOC) and DOC was detectable only in the following spring. Snow depth, ecosystem and soil types determined the extent of the impact of snow treatments on soil respiration, DOC, MBC and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). Our findings provide critical insights into understanding how changes in snow coverage affect soil respiration and microbial activity. We suggest future field-based experiments to enhance our understanding the effect of climate change on soil processes and functioning in the winter and the following seasons.