Linking Soil Biology to Agro-Ecosystems Functional Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Soil bacteria and fungi provide essential soil ecosystem services supporting agricultural production. The collation of case studies presented in this issue will illustrate how the structure, composition, and activity of soil bacteria and fungi is related to farming practices, including crop rotation, tillage, fertilization, irrigation, application of plant protection products, etc., to the choice of crops and the ecosystem services delivered in agricultural landscapes. Studies applying metagenomic techniques to provide details of soil communities, including bacteria, fungi, and also mesofauna and pollinator insects, are welcome, as well as enzymatic analyses highlighting microbial function. We seek articles providing evidence of interactions between activities of soil microbes and mesofauna and soil biogeochemistry, including nutrient cycling and the formation and release of greenhouse gases, and recommendation proposals that may lead to optimized soil management practices. Particular attention will be dedicated to contributions highlighting the adaptation of the soil community to stress caused by pollution, drought, pesticide residues, excessive compaction, acidification, and other human impacts that typically affect the sustainability of farming operations under the impact of global changes. The issue is open to case studies from any part of the world.

Dr. Nic Pacini
Prof. Edoardo Puglisi
Guest Editors

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