Emerging Contaminants and Soil Ecological Function: Microplastics and Beyond

This Research Topic explores the impact of emerging contaminants – such as microplastics and novel synthetic compounds – on soil ecosystems, with a focus on both the ecological processes and the developmental, evolutionary, and adaptive (eco‑evo‑devo) responses of soil organisms and plants. While the influence of pollutants on individual species and populations is an emerging area of study, the broader implications for developmental mechanisms, phenotypic variation, and ecosystem functioning remain underexplored. Soil ecosystems are dynamic interfaces where contaminants interact with diverse biota, including microbes, invertebrates, and plants, influencing crucial ecological functions such as nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, and soil structure maintenance. Recent research suggests that exposure to emerging contaminants may induce developmental plasticity, trigger epigenetic responses, and prompt novel adaptations. However, the impacts of these changes on developmental pathways, transgenerational inheritance, and ecosystem-level processes, including biodiversity, ecosystem services and resilience to environmental stressors, are still poorly understood.This Research Topic aims to unify research that integrates ecological, biogeochemical, developmental, and evolutionary (evo‑devo and eco‑evo‑devo) perspectives on the impacts of emerging contaminants within soil ecosystems. We aim to explore the mechanisms by which contaminants disrupt ecological functions and developmental processes, the potential for transgenerational effects, and the role of developmental and adaptive responses in shaping the resilience and evolutionary trajectories of soil communities. Contributions that bridge molecular, ecological, developmental, and evolutionary approaches are encouraged, with a particular focus on how chemical stressors influence developmental trajectories, gene regulation, nutrient cycling, biotic interactions, and soil health.We encourage work ranging from experimental studies on developmental and ecological effects to field-based assessments of soil ecosystem function, as well as reviews and theoretical perspectives. Key themes of interest include:-The effects of emerging contaminants on soil biota and ecological processes (e.g. nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, microbial activity and pedogenesis), with explicit links to developmental outcomes and phenotypic variation-Developmental plasticity, epigenetic modifications, and transgenerational inheritance in soil organisms exposed to emerging contaminants, and their evolutionary implications-The role of adaptive responses in shaping the structure and function of soil communities, including developmentally mediated adaptations-Mechanisms of pollutant impacts on soil organism development and survival, including changes in gene expression and developmental timing-Integrative eco‑evo‑devo frameworks addressing pollutant–soil organism interactions-The potential for contaminants to disrupt ecosystem services and long-term soil health through altered developmental pathways-Impacts of contaminants on the resilience and adaptation of soil biota in response to environmental stressors, with attention to developmental and evolutionary processes Topic editors: BLANCA GONZALEZ-MENDEZ, ELIZABETH CHAVEZ, Biju Sahariah Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76797/emerging-contaminants-and-soil-ecological-function-microplastics-and-beyond