MINAGRIS featured in Spanish media
Spanish outlets have taken an interest in our work this week, with two featuring our research on the impacts of plastic on microbial biodiversity.
EcoAvant, who's work focusses on raising awareness about environmental issues and new scientific advances in the field, have written an editorial on an interview interview with MINAGRIS researcher Raúl Ortega for the Discover Foundation. This non-profit institution that is part of the public administration sector and is promoted by the Department of Univrsities, Research and Innovation of the Government of Andalusia.
The articles focussed on Nicolas Beriot, Raúl Ortega and team's recent paper on intensive vegetable production under plastic mulch, looking at how soil plastic and pesticide residues affect the soil microbiome. These roughly lentil-sized microplastics were examined to look for relationships between the types of microorganisms and the plastics. In summary, they found that some bacteria form communities around plastics, and others avoid it, changing the normal flow of nutrients in the soil.
To find out more, see the original article in Science of the Total Environment here, or read the inverview with Andalusia's Discover Foundation here.
MINAGRIS presents at the International Conference on (Micro-nano) Plastics in Soil 2024
Dr Esperanza Huerta Lwanga recently gave a talk about MINAGRIS at the Deltares international conference on micro- and nano-plastics in soil, which took places in the Netherlands. The conference gave us an opportunity to learn and exchange knowledge with other scientists and decision-makers.
