Summary
This global comparative study demonstrates that urban greenspaces and nearby natural ecosystems exhibit remarkably similar levels of multiple soil contaminants, challenging conventional assumptions about contamination distribution. Human influence and socio-economic factors emerged as primary drivers of soil contamination worldwide. The research further documents links between elevated contaminant levels and shifts in microbial community composition and function, particularly genes conferring stress resistance and those involved in pathogenesis, suggesting potential ecosystem and health consequences.
UK applicability
The findings suggest that UK natural areas adjacent to urban centres may experience comparable soil contamination burdens to managed greenspaces, implying that contamination monitoring and remediation strategies should not be restricted to urban settings. This has implications for UK environmental policy and the assessment of ecosystem health in protected or semi-natural areas.
Key measures
Soil contaminant concentrations (metal(loid)s, pesticides, microplastics, antibiotic resistance genes); microbial genes associated with environmental stress resistance, nutrient cycling, and pathogenesis
Outcomes reported
The study compared levels of soil contaminants (metal(loid)s, pesticides, microplastics, and antibiotic resistance genes) between urban greenspaces and adjacent natural/semi-natural ecosystems globally, and assessed associations between contaminant levels and microbial community traits.
Topic tags
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