Soil Microbial Ecology and Ecosystem Sustainability in a Changing Environment
A special issue of Soil Systems (ISSN 2571-8789).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 515
Special Issue Editor
Interests: soil viral ecology; soil carbon cycling; plant-microbe interactions; rhizosphere microbial community assembly; prophage
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Soil microorganisms are critical components of the micro-food web and play pivotal roles in driving essential soil ecosystem functions. They significantly influence soil fertility, plant productivity, and overall ecosystem sustainability. Advancing research in soil microbial ecology is fundamental for improving our understanding of ecosystem processes and services, especially in the context of global environmental changes. This Special Issue will emphasize recent advancements in deciphering the complexity of soil microbial communities, focusing on their structure, functionality, and interactions with both biotic and abiotic factors. A thorough understanding of microbial-mediated soil processes, particularly those involved in nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and ecosystem resilience, will be highlighted.
Key areas of interest will include microbial biogeography and diversity patterns across ecosystems, along with the identification of the drivers shaping microbial community assembly. Such insights are crucial for understanding the ecological significance of microbial diversity in soil ecosystems. Additionally, investigations into soil micro-food webs—where the interactions among microbes, protists, nematodes, and other microfauna govern biodiversity and soil health—will be explored in detail. Emerging research on soil viral ecology will also be included, with a focus on how viruses regulate microbial dynamics and influence biogeochemical cycles in soil environments. Studies on microbial contributions to biogeochemical cycling need to emphasize feedback mechanisms linked to soil ecosystem services and climate change. The ecological impacts of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil ecosystems, addressing their spread, horizontal gene transfer, and microbial adaptation, will be a prominent topic. The influence of emerging pollutants, such as microplastics and nanomaterials, on soil microbial communities will also be covered, alongside microbial resilience and remediation strategies. The rhizosphere microbiome and its role in plant growth promotion, stress tolerance, and plant–microbe–soil feedback mechanisms will receive significant attention. Interdisciplinary submissions that not only deepen our fundamental knowledge of soil microbial ecology but also propose practical applications for agriculture, environmental management, and climate change mitigation are encouraged. This Special Issue aims to become a cornerstone reference for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners interested in the multifaceted roles of soil microbiomes in sustaining ecosystem services.
Dr. Xiaolong Liang
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Soil Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- microbial biogeography
- nutrient cycling
- micro-food web
- soil fertility
- rhizosphere microbiome
- bioremediation
- soil viral ecology
- climate change and soil health
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