Making the science accessible to better understand the impact of contaminants (unregulated and otherwise) on plants, associated organisms, and their environment: Strategies for phytobiome research, teaching, and K to postsecondary science outreach

Laura Super, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Contaminants are shifting microbiomes and impacting human health. How are contaminants impacting plant health and microbiomes? How can we promote science outreach about impacts of contaminants on the phytobiome (a plant, its environment, and associated organisms)? When tackling these questions, it is key to overcome a lack of knowledge first of contaminants and second of plants in K-12 and postsecondary, an amazing opportunity to increase learning in innovative, new and existing programs. Ecological Society of America and other societies are linked up with PlantingScience, a K-12 mentoring program, and could be approached. University students could learn in experiential working groups.