Soil biodiversity and biogeochemical function in managed ecosystems

Abstract

A complex combination of environmental, biological, chemical, and physical properties and processes determine soil biodiversity and its relationship to biogeochemical functions and ecosystem services. Vegetation, land-use, and land management, in turn, influence diversity and function in the soil ecosystem. The objective of this review was to assess how different land-use systems (crop production, animal production, and planted forest) affect soil biodiversity, and how consequent changes in soil biodiversity influence energy (carbon) and nutrient dynamics. Deficiencies in understanding relationships between soil biodiversity and biogeochemical function in managed ecosystems are highlighted, along with the need to investigate how diversity influences specific processes across different functional groups and trophic levels. The continued development and application of molecular techniques and data informatics with descriptive approaches will contribute to advancing our understanding of soil biodiversity and function in managed agricultural and forest ecosystems.