PNNL

Abstract

Various exogenous carbon-based materials (ECMs) such as crop straw, biochar, carbon-based nano-fertilizer, and microplastics haveaccumulated in soil ecosystems. These ECMs may cause direct and indirect impacts on soil properties, processes, productivity, andhealth, thus potentially changing the function and stability of soil ecosystems. However, large knowledge gaps still exist on ECMs insoil 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.