Soil Biota Driven Functions and Services for Agricultural Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Soil biota provides services that are beneficial to the productivity and sustainability of land-use systems. This Special Issue aims to discuss how land-use systems affect soil biodiversity in Europe and how soil biodiversity (i.e., the performance of functional groups) feeds back to soil functions and ecosystem services. Knowledge is mounting that a sustainable intensification of land use needs to include the conservation of processes and functions run by soil biota that are essential for self-preservation and consider services provided by soil biota, including soil biodiversity. The joined European agricultural policy, including soil and biodiversity conservation, is asking for surveys throughout Europe. The strong progress in developing methods for biodiversity determination in soil and the quantification of biota specific impacts should be mirrored by the contributions. Moreover, transversal interactions with socio-economical sciences should lead to the development of tools to assess soil management as a social-ecological issue.

Hence, this Special Issue will focus on the role of soil biology in delivering soil functions in agricultural systems and the synergies and trade-offs that occur within the bundle of soil functions, crossing several spatial and temporal scales. Moreover, we highly welcome research covering the interfaces of ecology, economy, and social sciences, to assess and discuss the valuation and anticipation of soil biota and its activity in agriculture.

Dr. Martin Potthoff
Dr. Guénola Pérès
Guest Editors

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• soil biodiversity
• ecosystem services
• soil functions
• social-ecological values on soil biota
• added values and farming benefits
• CAP