Application of metabolomic methods to evaluate the impact of pollutants on soil organisms: Recent progress and future perspectives

Soil pollution has impacted ecosystem health globally. Pollution coupled with global environmental change has increased the reduction of critical services provided by soil ecosystems. Given the complex diversity of soil biological, chemical, and physical properties, there is a need to better understand pollutant impacts on soil-dwelling organisms to protect soil function and health. The field of environmental metabolomics has grown considerably over the last 20 years and has enabled detailed studies of earthworm responses to acute and chronic exposure. In addition, several recent studies have examined complex relationships between plants-microbes and earthworms-microbes, and how these are altered by pollutant exposure in soil. Each of these studies has provided novel insight and reaffirms the negative ecological cascade and overall decline of soil organism health due to pollution.

Automated summary

Soil pollution has had a global impact on ecosystem health, leading to a reduction in critical services provided by soil ecosystems. Environmental metabolomics has provided valuable insights into the effects of pollutants on soil-dwelling organisms, particularly earthworms. Recent studies have also explored the complex relationships between plants-microbes and earthworms-microbes, and how these relationships are altered by pollutant exposure in soil. Overall, these studies highlight the negative ecological cascade and decline in soil organism health caused by pollution.