soilecology

Soil ecology is the study of the interactions between soil organisms, the soil environment, and the processes that shape soil development and function. It examines how the community of bacteria, archaea, fungi (including mycorrhizal partners), protists, nematodes, microarthropods, earthworms, and other biota influence soil properties such as organic matter content, structure, moisture, aeration, and nutrient availability, and how in turn these soil conditions shape biological communities. The abiotic components, including mineral particles, organic matter, pH, moisture, temperature, and redox status, interact with biota through processes such as decomposition, mineralization, immobilization, and nutrient cycling, driving soil fertility and carbon storage.

Key processes include litter decomposition, carbon sequestration in soils, soil aggregation, and the release or uptake of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. Plant roots and the rhizosphere mediate many interactions, including mutualisms with mycorrhizal fungi, competition, and signaling that affect microbial activity and nutrient availability.

Research uses field plots, laboratory microcosms, and advanced molecular tools (metagenomics, metabarcoding) to characterize community composition and function, combined with measurements of soil respiration, enzyme activities, isotope tracing, and imaging of roots and structures. Scale ranges from microhabitats within aggregates to landscapes and soil networks over seasons and years. Applications include improving agricultural productivity and sustainability, forest and restoration ecology, and understanding climate feedbacks through soil carbon dynamics. Challenges include spatial and temporal heterogeneity of soils, linking microbial processes to ecosystem outcomes, and integrating data across disciplines.