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1 - Developing new perspectives from advances in soil biodiversity research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 September 2009

By
Diana H. Wall ,
Alastair H. Fitter  and
Eldor A. Paul
Edited by
Richard Bardgett ,
Michael Usher  and
David Hopkins
Diana H. Wall
Affiliation:
Colorado State University
Alastair H. Fitter
Affiliation:
University of York
Eldor A. Paul
Affiliation:
Colorado State University
Richard Bardgett
Affiliation:
Lancaster University
Michael Usher
Affiliation:
University of Stirling
David Hopkins
Affiliation:
University of Stirling
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Summary

SUMMARY

  1. We use a historical context to examine the accomplishments of soil biodiversity and ecosystem research. These accomplishments provide a framework for future research, for enhancing and driving ecological theory, and for incorporating knowledge into sustainable management of soils and ecosystems.

  2. A soil ecologist's view of the world differs from that of a terrestrial ecologist who focuses research primarily on above-ground organisms. We offer ‘ten tenets of soil ecology’ that illustrate the perspectives of a soil ecologist.

  3. Challenges for the future are many and never has research in soil ecology been more exciting or more relevant. We highlight our view of ‘challenges in soil ecology’, in the hope of intensifying interactions among ecologists and other scientists, and stimulating the integration of soils research into the science of terrestrial ecology.

  4. We conclude with the vision that healthy soils are the basis of global sustainability. As scientists, we cannot achieve our future goals of ecological sustainability without placing emphasis on the role of soil in terrestrial ecology.

Introduction

Despite the visionary appeals of an earlier generation of soil scientists, soil biologists and others (Jacks & Whyte 1939; Hyams 1952), above-ground ecologists have hitherto shown insufficient awareness of the significance and fragility of soils and the need to understand how life in soils relates to sustaining our global environment. However, many scientists, including microbial ecologists, atmospheric scientists, biogeochemists and agronomists, as well as economists and policy makers, are now starting to take heed of the multiple issues involving soils and their biota, on both local and global scales.

Type
Chapter
Information
Biological Diversity and Function in Soils , pp. 3 - 28
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2005

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