Atmospheric Inputs and Soil System Dynamics: Fluxes, Fate and Ecological Impacts
A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Biosphere/Hydrosphere/Land–Atmosphere Interactions".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 25
Special Issue Editors
Interests: soil pollution process; ecological effect; ecological risk modelling; ecological function
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Atmospheric deposition represents a critical vector for the introduction of diverse pollutants—including heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and emerging contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics, into soil ecosystems. These pollutants originate from a wide spectrum of anthropogenic activities, including industrial emissions, agricultural practices, waste incineration, transportation, and the use of consumer products, as well as from natural processes such as biomass burning and dust storms. Once deposited, they profoundly influence soil physicochemical properties, microbial community structure and function, nutrient cycling processes, and the overall health and resilience of terrestrial ecosystems. Furthermore, soil ecosystems act as both sinks and secondary sources of pollutants, with the potential for re-emission into the atmosphere or leaching to groundwater and surface water systems, thereby creating complex feedback loops between atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic compartments.
This Special Issue aims to advance our understanding of the mechanisms, dynamics, and ecological consequences of pollutant transfer from the atmosphere to soil ecosystems. We invite contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: (1) novel analytical approaches for characterizing atmospheric pollutant deposition fluxes and speciation in soil matrices; (2) biogeochemical processes governing pollutant retention, transformation, and bioavailability in soils; (3) impacts of atmospheric pollutant inputs on soil biodiversity, ecological functions, and ecosystem services; (4) soil–atmosphere exchange processes and the role of soils as secondary sources of pollutants; (5) integrated modeling including AI and ML for soil health monitoring frameworks linking atmospheric transport, deposition, and soil fate processes; (6) long-term monitoring and temporal trends of pollutant accumulation in soil systems; (7) remediation strategies and policy interventions for mitigating soil pollution from atmospheric sources.
This Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive and interdisciplinary synthesis of current research frontiers, bridging atmospheric chemistry, soil science, and environmental toxicology. We particularly encourage studies that adopt multi-compartmental and systems-level perspectives to elucidate the complex interactions between atmospheric deposition and soil ecosystem dynamics. Contributions from researchers, environmental managers, and policymakers are warmly welcomed.
Dr. Tian Xie
Prof. Dr. Suriyanarayanan Sarvajayakesavalu
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- atmospheric deposition
- soil fate
- soil pollution
- multi/cross-media transfer
- soil–atmosphere exchange
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