Agricultural plastic pollution reduces soil function even under best management practices.

ABSTRACT: Soil plastic contamination is considered a threat to environmental health and food security. Plastic films-which are widely used as soil mulches-are the largest single source of agricultural plastic pollution. Growing evidence indicates that high concentrations of plastic negatively affect critical soil functions. However, the relationships between agricultural plastic accumulation and its biogeochemical consequences in regions with relatively low levels of soil plastic pollution remain poorly characterized. We sampled farms across the California Central Coast (a region of global agricultural importance with extensive plastic mulch-based production) to assess the degree and biogeochemical consequences of plastic pollution in fields subject to "best practice" plastic mulching application an

SUBMITTER: Tiwari E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11495371 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature