agroecosystems
Agroecosystems are managed ecosystems centered on agricultural production, encompassing the complex interactions between crops, soil, water, climate, and human practices within farms and gardens. Understanding these systems is fundamental to plant science because it reveals how crops respond to ecological conditions at scale, informing strategies to improve yield, resilience, and sustainability. Research in this field bridges plant biology with ecology, helping scientists develop cultivation approaches that work with natural processes rather than against them.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-04-01
A sweeping study of Indian farmland soils found pesticide contamination in nearly every site tested, including organic farms and forests. Toxic chemical mixtures are seeping deeper into the soil than previously measured, posing serious risks to earthworms and broader soil ecosystems.
98.6% of surface soil samples were contaminated with pesticide residues, including sites under organic management and forest reference areas.
Pesticide metabolites (breakdown products) frequently exceeded their parent compound levels, with fipronil, neonicotinoid, atrazine, and DDT metabolites among the most common — suggesting persistent, underestimated risks.
80% of sites showed high theoretical risk to earthworms, with sugarcane and orchard systems being the most hazardous land uses.
