Soil Biodiversity and Soil Carbon

Carlos Barreto^*
*Correspondence: Carlos Barreto, Department of Biology, Western University, UK, Email:

Commentary

The maintenance of ecosystems is dependent on biological variety. As a result, manmade activities that limit ecosystem diversity are regarded to be a danger to ecosystem performance. A significant amount of biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems is found below ground in soils, and the influence of changing its diversity and composition on ecosystem performance is yet unknown. We discovered that declines in the frequency and presence of soil organisms result in the deterioration of numerous ecosystem processes, including plant diversity and nutrient cycling and retention, using a novel experimental system to change levels of soil biodiversity and community composition. This shows that below-ground biodiversity is an important resource for ecosystem function. Breakthrough decisions at the twelfth session of the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in October 2015 recognised the relevance of soil organic carbon for beneficial environmental and development consequences. Soil organic carbon is a key predictor of agricultural production and water security, as well as a key component of biodiversity and climate change adaptation.

Soil biodiversity is a valuable resource that supports ecosystem processes that are necessary for natural and global systems to function. Our knowledge of the species, their relationships, and the effects of these interactions on processes in the soil food web in natural systems contributes significantly to land management, particularly in agriculture. Although happening at separate temporal periods for organisms, there is a strong relationship between aboveground and belowground diversity, and changes impacting aboveground diversity and function are reflected in belowground ecosystems. A decrease in soil biological capacity and a shift in the regulation of interactions and processes are two immediate effects. Knowing whether all or just a few key taxa are significant in the management of ecosystem processes is critical for long-term sustainability planning.

The following are current priorities in the study of soil biodiversity:

(1) Determining which habitats are most vulnerable to soil biodiversity loss, e.g., where the 'hot spots' of biodiversity are, and which habitats and time frames are most amenable to restoration;

(2) Determining which habitats are most vulnerable to soil biodiversity loss, e.g., where the 'hot spots' of biodiversity are, and which habitats and time frames are most amenable to restoration;

(3) Determining which habitats and time frames (3) analysing data to determine which invertebrate and microbial ‘species' are important to ecosystem processes;

(4) Identifying knowledge gaps in multispecies interactions and their impact on ecosystem functioning;

(5) Cooperating on long-term (> 3 years) investigations to investigate the implications of global change on aboveground–belowground biodiversity relationships and ecosystem functioning;

Soil biodiversity and soil organic carbon are critical foundations for a wide range of ecosystem services across all four basic ecosystem service categories. It is so critical to a landscape's multi-functionality and the reason why increasing investment and laws in sustainable land management is seen as critical to reaching several of the Sustainable Development Goals. Soil biodiversity (bacteria, fungus, protozoa, insects, worms, other invertebrates, and mammals), which is maintained by SOM pools, improves soil metabolic capacity and plays an important role in soil health and ecosystem functioning. The underground communities are embedded in a network structure that: (1) determines the net transit of carbon between the atmosphere and soils; and (2) cycles SOM, impacting nutrient availability. Soils constitute a significant reservoir of global biodiversity, ranging from microbes to flora and fauna, according to the revised World Soil Charter. Soils store a large amount of terrestrial organic carbon (C) and can operate as a buffer against CO2 increases in the atmosphere as well as a potential sink for extra C, depending on the balance of photosynthesis, decomposer respiration, and C stabilisation in the soil. Soil organic matter, which accounts for about 58 percent of soil organic carbon (SOC), is essential for a variety of soil functions and ecosystem services, including food and fibre production, biodiversity habitats, climate regulation, water filtration and purification, and human heritage preservation.

Farmers in all early civilizations recognised the importance of SOC in preserving soil capacity to execute many ecological activities. SOC management through sustainable agricultural and land use techniques has become a widely recognised strategy for combating land degradation and desertification, as well as for ensuring food security in a changing climate. Several national and international initiatives have been launched to put in place practical SOC management programmes and the types of farming systems that encourage it [1-5].

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