Editing Pollution (section)

===Environment===
[[File:Pacific-garbage-patch-map 2010 noaamdp.jpg|thumb|[[Great Pacific Garbage Patch]] ]]
Pollution has been found to be present widely in the natural [[environment (biophysical)|environment]]. A 2022 study published in ''[[Environmental Science & Technology]]'' found that levels of anthropogenic chemical pollution have exceeded [[planetary boundaries]] and now threaten entire ecosystems around the world.<ref name=":2">{{cite journal |last1=Persson |first1=Linn |display-authors=etal. |date=2022 |title=Outside the Safe Operating Space of the Planetary Boundary for Novel Entities |journal=Environmental Science & Technology |volume=56 |issue=3 |pages=1510–1521 |bibcode=2022EnST...56.1510P |doi=10.1021/acs.est.1c04158 |pmc=8811958 |pmid=35038861}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite news |last=Carrington |first=Damian |date=18 January 2022 |title=Chemical pollution has passed safe limit for humanity, say scientists |work=The Guardian |location= |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/18/chemical-pollution-has-passed-safe-limit-for-humanity-say-scientists |access-date=18 January 2022}}</ref>

There are a number of effects of this:
* [[Biomagnification]] describes situations where toxins (such as [[heavy metals]]) may pass through [[trophic level]]s, becoming exponentially more concentrated in the process.[[File:CO2 emission pie chart.svg|thumb|190px|Global [[List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions|carbon dioxide emissions]] by jurisdiction, 2023]]
* [[Carbon dioxide]] emissions cause [[ocean acidification]], the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans as {{co2}} becomes dissolved.
* The emission of [[greenhouse gas]]es leads to [[global warming]] which affects ecosystems in many ways.
* [[Invasive species]] can outcompete native species and reduce [[biodiversity]]. Invasive plants can contribute debris and biomolecules ([[allelopathy]]) that can alter soil and chemical compositions of an environment, often reducing native species [[competition (biology)|competitiveness]].
* [[Nitrogen oxide]]s are removed from the air by rain and [[fertiliser|fertilise]] land which can change the species composition of ecosystems.
* [[Smog]] and haze can reduce the amount of sunlight received by plants to carry out [[photosynthesis]] and leads to the production of [[tropospheric ozone]] which damages plants.
* Soil can become infertile and unsuitable for plants. This will affect other [[organism]]s in the [[food web]].
* [[Sulfur dioxide]] and [[nitrogen oxide]]s can cause [[acid rain]] which lowers the [[pH]] value of soil.
* Organic pollution of watercourses can deplete [[oxygen]] levels and reduce species diversity.