Pesticides contaminate 70% of european soils, devastating underground ecosystems critical for agriculture

A groundbreaking study published in Nature reveals that pesticide contamination has become a silent crisis beneath our feet, with researchers detecting chemical residues in 70% of soil samples across 26 European countries. The widespread contamination extends far beyond farmland, infiltrating grasslands and forests while devastating the microscopic organisms that form the foundation of healthy ecosystems.

The research examined 373 soil samples and discovered that pesticide contamination ranks as the second most powerful force shaping soil biodiversity—exceeded only by natural soil characteristics like texture and pH levels. This finding highlights how agricultural chemicals are fundamentally altering underground ecosystems across an entire continent.

Among the most severely impacted organisms are mycorrhizal fungi, nature’s underground partners that form crucial relationships with plant roots. These beneficial fungi help crops and wild plants absorb water and essential nutrients from soil, making them indispensable for healthy agriculture and forest ecosystems. The study identified the fungicide bixafen, commonly sprayed on cereal crops to prevent harmful fungi, as particularly destructive to multiple types of soil organisms.

“This contamination has a major impact on various beneficial soil organisms, such as mycorrhizal fungi and nematodes, impairing their biodiversity,” explained Marcel van der Heijden, a University of Zurich professor who led the research. While pesticides’ harmful effects on bees, birds, and other visible wildlife are well-documented, this study exposes how agricultural chemicals are quietly undermining the invisible foundation that supports all terrestrial life.