Soil Biology and Organisms

Abstract

Soils are a haven for many phyla of countless numbers of microbes and fauna. The trophic (feeding) interactions between them provide much of the ecological stability of soil systems. Within the web of soil fauna, interactions occur via numerous biogeochemical cycles of the major nutrients, including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. These cycles are in turn influenced by aboveground and belowground interactions of plants and biota. Recent studies point to the considerable positive effects of the diversity of the soil fauna on rates of decomposition in a wide range of ecosystems worldwide. Awareness of soil biodiversity provides additional support for the influence of soil microbes and fauna on enhancing soil quality and supporting the recycling of nutrients in soils.