Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Soils, just like all other ecosystem compartments, change over time and, consequently, conditions for soil‐inhabiting organisms are also changing, affecting their composition and diversity. Soil biodiversity is a critical component of ecosystems that supports many essential ecosystem functions and services, such as nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, water regulation and biomass production for food, fodder, fibre and energy. However, and despite the importance of soil biodiversity for ecosystem health and human well‐being, neither current state, drivers, potential consequences for ecosystem services nor options for sustainable governance of soil biodiversity are well understood. Here, we provide a framework for and argue that conducting a national assessment of soil biodiversity, albeit being a complex endeavour, is fundamental to building a baseline to understand the current state and trends of soil biodiversity, but also to identify the main drivers of change, the impacts of soil biodiversity loss and the potential pathways for conservation and sustainable governance of soil biodiversity.
DOI: 10.1002/sae2.12116
Authors: Carlos A. Guerra, Nico Eisenhauer, Christoph C. Tebbe, Willi E. R. Xylander, C. Albert, Doreen Babin, Bartosz Bartkowski, Benjamin Burkhard, Juliane Filser, Dagmar Haase, Karin Hohberg, Janina Kleemann, Sanina Kolb, Christina Lachmann, Matthias C. Rillig, Jörg Römbke, Liliane Ruess, Stefan Scheu, Nicole Scheunemann, Bastian Steinhoff‐Knopp, Nicole Wellbrock, Christian Ristok
Institutions: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, University of Coimbra, Leipzig University, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz, International University Institute (IHI) Zittau, Leibniz University Hannover, Julius Kühn-Institut, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, University of Bremen, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, Freie Universität Berlin, University of Göttingen
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,400
OpenAlex ID: W4402012785