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Given that cultivated land serves as a strategic resource to ensure national food security, blind emphasis on improvement of food production capacity can lead to soil overutilization and impair other soil functions. Therefore, we took Heilongjiang province as an example to conduct a multi-functional evaluation of soil at the provincial scale. A combination of soil, climate, topography, land use, and remote sensing data were used to evaluate the functions of primary productivity, provision and cycling of nutrients, provision of functional and intrinsic biodiversity, water purification and regulation, and carbon sequestration and regulation of cultivated land in 2018. We designed a soil function discriminant matrix, constructed the supply-demand ratio, and evaluated the current status of supply and demand of soil functions. Soil functions demonstrated a distribution pattern of high grade in the northeast and low grade in the southwest, mostly in second-level areas. The actual supply of primary productivity functions in 71.32% of the region cannot meet the current needs of the population. The dominant function of soil in 34.89% of the area is water purification and regulation, and most of the cultivated land belongs to the functional balance region. The results presented herein provide a theoretical basis for optimization of land patterns and improvement of cultivated land use management on a large scale, and is of great significance to the sustainable use of black soil resources and improvement of comprehensive benefits.

Kakovost tal lahko definiramo kot kontinuirano sposobnost tal za zagotavljanje ekosistemskih storitev (ES). Znanost o tleh prepoznava pet glavnih funkcij tal, ki zagotavljajo ES: (i) primarna produkcija, (ii) čiščenje in uravnavanje vode, (iii) skladiščenje ogljika in uravnavanje podnebja, (iv) biotska pestrost in zagotavljanje habitatov ter (v) zagotavljanje in kroženje hranil. ES ocenjujemo po naslednjih pristopih: (i) na podlagi kazalnikov, pri katerih ocene ES tal temeljijo na poenostavljenih približkih izbranih lastnosti tal; (ii) na empiričnih povezavah med lastnostmi tal in funkcijami tal (statični pristop) in (iii) na podlagi modeliranja talnih procesov v času (dinamični pristop). Število modelov in orodij za ocenjevanje ES tal narašča, vendar pa je vprašljivo, v kolikšni meri se ocene približajo realni porazdelitvi in zastopanosti posamezne ES v prostoru. Nujni so kakovostni vhodni podatki o tleh, izbor robustnih kazalnikov kakovosti tal za ocenjevanje ES in nadaljnji razvoj modelov ter orodij za ocenjevanje funkcij tal in ES v smeri zmanjševanja negotovosti. Slovenija šele postavlja koncept ES tal, zato je namen prispevka na osnovi pregleda literature osvetliti razvoj konceptov in pristopov njihovega ocenjevanja v mednarodnem prostoru. // From soil quality to soil ecosystem services Soil quality is defined as the continued capacity of soils to provide ecosystem services (ES). Soil science identifies five main soil functions that provide ES: (i) primary production, (ii) water purification and regulation, (iii) carbon sequestration and climate regulation, (iv) biodiversity and habitat provision, and (v) provisioning and nutrient cycling. Three categories of ES assessments can be distinguished: (i) indicator approaches that use simplified approximations based on key soil properties as indicators, (ii) static approaches that apply empirical relationships to link soil properties to soil functions, and (iii) dynamic approaches that apply biophysical methods to integrate soil, climate, and environmental factors to model soil processes over time. Many decision-support tools have emerged, but the extent to which estimates of ES approximate the actual distribution and representation of each ES in space is questionable. High-quality soil input data, selection of robust soil quality indicators for ES assessment, and further development of models and tools for assessing soil functions and ES to reduce uncertainty are essential. Slovenia is in the process of establishing the concept of soil ES. Therefore, based on a literature review, this paper aims to show the development of concepts and approaches for ES assessment at the international level.

Participatory techniques are widely recognized as essential in addressing the challenges of agri-environmental policy and decision-making. Furthermore, it is well known that stakeholder analysis and social network analysis are useful methods in the identification of actors that are involved in a system and the connections between them. To identify key stakeholders and improve the transfer of information from national-to farm-level, we compared a stakeholder analysis with farmer-centric networks for primary productivity, carbon regulation and biodiversity through the case study of Latvia. Farmer-centric networks show a higher number of stakeholders communicating on the topic of primary productivity network comparing to other topics. We found three pathways for improving knowledge transfer in agri-environmental governance: horizontal strengthening of farming community, horizontal strengthening of policy departments, and vertical strengthening between policy departments and farmers. The first step is to ensure that policy-makers have a common understanding of the results that should be achieved. The second step is the transfer of know-how between farmers to develop new solutions. The third step is the training of advisers in the land multifunctionality and the strengthening of communication and knowledge transfer between policy departments and farmers in order to jointly achieve the desired direction at that national level. Long-term cooperation between many stakeholders, including knowledge transfer, the development and implementation of solutions, and monitoring are essential in order to adequately address global societal challenges. The application of our mixed methods approach to elucidate pathways for improved governance of knowledge and information is of direct relevance to other jurisdictions seeking to transition towards multifunctional and sustainable land management.

Contamination of soils in agroecosystems with microplastics (MPs) is of increasing concern. The contamination of the environment/farmland soils with MPs (1 µm to 5 mm sized particles) and nanoplastics (NPs

Growing sustainability demands on land have a high knowledge requirement across multiple scientific domains. Exploring networks can expose opportunities for targeting. Using mixed-methods combining social network analysis (SNA) and surveys, networks for key soil functions in case studies in Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands are explored. We find a diversity of contrasting networks that reflect local conditions, sustainability challenges and governance structure. Farmers were found to occupy a central role in the agri-environmental governance network. A comparison of the SNA and survey results indicate low acceptance of messages from many central actors indicating scope to better harness the network for sustainable land management. The source of the messages was important when it came to the implementation of farm management actions. Two pathways for enhanced farmer uptake of multi-functionality are proposed that have wider application are; to increase trust between farmers and actors that are agents of multi-functional messages and/or to increase the bundling or multi-functionality of messages (mandate) of actors trusted by farmers.

Land-use changes in native rangelands can greatly affect nutrient cycling processes. While phosphorus (P) is the second most important macronutrient that limits plant growth and productivity in semi-arid rangelands, the effect of land-use conversions on P pools and turnover has been rarely studied. The main objective of this study was to determine soil P pools and dynamics after conversion of rangelands to rainfed wheat croplands and re-conversion of these rainfed farming systems back to rangelands (i.e., cultivation abandonment) in West Central Iran. Soil samples (0–150 and 150–300 mm) were collected from wheat-cultivated rangelands, wheat-abandoned rangelands and uncultivated rangelands on north-facing and south-facing slopes, and analyzed for P pools, P mineralization and phosphatase activities. Results showed a strong impact of land-use changes on soil P pools and turnover, which varied greatly with slope aspect. Converting rangelands to wheat fields declined soil inorganic P (46%), organic P (26%), microbial biomass P (52%), potentially mineralizable P (78%) and P-acquiring enzyme activities (15–20%). Conversely, abandonment of wheat cultivation resulted in a major recovery of P pools and cycling with greater inorganic P (36%) and organic P (21%) pools, microbial biomass P content (79%), P mineralization (191%) and P-cycling enzyme activities (4–7%) after 15 years. In summary, short-term cessation of wheat cultivation to allow secondary rangeland succession without disturbance would rebuild soil P storage, restore P cycling and supply, and hence would improve soil functions and quality. Therefore, cropland abandonment should be adopted to maintain soil P fertility and the sustainability of native rangelands in semi-arid regions.

Understanding biogeographical patterns and underlying processes of belowground community assembly is crucial for predicting soil functions and their responses to global environmental change. However, little is known about potential differences of belowground community assembly among bacteria, fungi, protists and soil animals, particularly for alpine ecosystems. Based on the combination of large-scale field sampling, high-throughput marker-gene sequencing and multiple statistical analyses, we explored patterns and drivers of belowground community assembly in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. Our results revealed that the distance-decay rates varied among trophic levels, with organisms of higher trophic level having weaker distance-decay pattern. The spatial and environmental variables explained limited variations of belowground communities. By contrast, the stochastic processes, mainly consisting of dispersal limitation and drift, played a primary role in regulating belowground community assembly. Moreover, the relative importance of stochastic processes varied among trophic levels, with the role of dispersal limitation weakening whereas that of drift enhancing in the order of bacteria, fungi, protists and soil animals. These findings advance our understanding of patterns and mechanisms driving belowground community assembly in alpine ecosystems and provide a reference basis for predicting the dynamics of ecosystem functions under changing environment.

Soil is the most complex part of land as its contents are made of all the other key components of land namely geology (soil minerals), hydrology (soil water), atmosphere (soil air), and organisms including man (soil organic matter including dead bodies). This is why the functions of the soil are not only numerous but also indispensable. Among the functions, the role of the soil in sustaining human life remains unimaginable. Over 3.8 million people have been killed by COVID-19 by June 15, 2021 in the world and more are still dying. Some unrecorded millions died of hunger as a result of the lockdown during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic. Where are these dead bodies and materials associated with those that died of COVID-19? Where did all the food palliatives (rice, maize, wheat, yam, gari, vegetable oil, etc.) come from? The human body is composed of approximately 64% water, 20% protein, 10% fat, 1% carbohydrate, 5% minerals. When decomposed these various components result to various gaseous compounds and residues that are harmful to human life and environment. When dead bodies are buried human health and environment are saved. The dead bodies, the wastes and their contents are in the soil providing “palliatives” to soil microorganisms while protecting the remaining human population and the environment. Cremation products also end up in the soil. The soil also provided and still provides the food palliatives. Thus, the soil is our number one saviour against COVID-19 pandemic and can be adjudged as the saviour of the human race to date. Coincidentally man was made from the soil and must return to the soil. Key words: soil functions, burial, cremation, palliatives, COVID-19

Urban soils are often mixed with extraneous materials and show a high spatial variability that determine great differences from their agricultural or natural counterparts. The soils of 18 localities of a medium-sized city (Ancona, Italy) were analysed for their main physicochemical and biological properties, and for chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and mercury (Hg) total content, distribution among particle-size fractions, and extractability. Because of the absence of thresholds defining a hot spot for heavy metal pollution in urban soils, we defined a “threshold of attention” (ToA) for each heavy metal aiming to bring out hot spot soils where it is more impellent to intervene to mitigate or avoid potential environmental concerns. In several city locations, the soil displayed sub-alkaline pH, large contents of clay-size particles, and higher TOC, total N, and available P with respect to the surrounding rural areas, joined with high contents of total heavy metals, but low availability. The C biomass, basal respiration, qCO2, and enzyme activities were compared to that detected in the near rural soils, and results suggested that heavy metals content has not substantially compromised the soil ecological services. We conclude that ToA can be considered as a valuable tool to highlight soil hot spots especially for cities with a long material history and, for a proper risk assessment in urban soils, we suggest considering the content of available heavy metals (rather than the total content) and soil functions.

Urban soils are of increasing interest for their potential to provide ecosystem services such as carbon storage and nutrient cycling. Despite this, there is limited knowledge on how soil sealing with impervious surfaces, a common disturbance in urban environments, affects these important ecosystem services. In this paper, we investigate the effect of soil sealing on soil properties, soil carbon and soil nutrient stocks. We undertook a comparative survey of sealed and unsealed green space soils across the UK city of Manchester. Our results reveal that the context of urban soil and the anthropogenic artefacts added to soil have a great influence on soil properties and functions. In general, sealing reduced soil carbon and nutrient stocks compared to green space soil; however, where there were anthropogenic additions of organic and mineral artefacts, this led to increases in soil carbon and nitrate content. Anthropogenic additions led to carbon stocks equivalent to or larger than those in green spaces; this was likely a result of charcoal additions, leading to carbon stores with long residence times. This suggests that in areas with an industrial past, anthropogenic additions can lead to a legacy carbon store in urban soil and make important contributions to urban soil carbon budgets. These findings shed light on the heterogeneity of urban sealed soil and the influence of anthropogenic artefacts on soil functions. Our research highlights the need to gain a further understanding of urban soil processes, in both sealed and unsealed soils, and of the influence and legacy of anthropogenic additions for soil functions and important ecosystem services.

Earthworms contribute to a wide range of process that underpin soil function and ecosystem services and are an important component of a soil’s natural capital stocks. With increasing interest in soil health, it is important to better understand the type of earthworm community required to enhance soil functions. This is of particular interest in New Zealand where pasture systems are dominated by exotic earthworm species and low ecological diversity. Two separate mesocosm experiments were established to explore the interaction between earthworm abundance and ecological diversity as it influences soil functions. Experimental increases in earthworm abundance increased soil macroporosity and water infiltration, increased plant nitrogen (N) and plant growth. Although some benefits were observed at the lowest earthworm abundances, the greatest benefits were seen at the higher abundances. Earthworm ecological diversity is also critical to ensure soil functions are optimised. For example, the single species of Aporrectodea caliginosa alone was not able to improve water infiltration or pasture production. However, when this species was found in combination with Aporrectodea longa, there was positive influence on soil functions despite the abundance of A. longa itself not increasing. This study highlights the importance of including a measure of ecological diversity alongside a measure of abundance to assess soil biological health.

In response to increasing concerns over climate change, soil health and wine quality, grape growers are seeking new practices (e.g., biochar application) to minimize their environmental footprint while increasing productivity and the quality of their products. To explore the potential of biochar-based amendments to achieve these goals in wine grape production, vineyard trials were established in the fall of 2018. Two Oregon sites were chosen with distinct soil types and climates (Willamette Valley and Rogue Valley) but planted with the same grapevine scion/rootstock Pinot noir combination. Four treatments were applied under vines at each location: no biochar-no tillage (NT); no biochar + tillage (B0); 18 tons ha−1 biochar + tillage (B18); 35 tons ha−1 biochar + tillage (B35). In 2019, a suite of soil health, plant, and crop variables were measured, and wines were produced after harvest. The incorporation of biochar modified the chemical and physical composition of soils at the two studied locations, increasing the bioavailability of carbon and nitrogen, their gravimetric water content and the concentration of plant available micro and macro nutrients. No responses of plant physiology parameters or productivity at either site were found after biochar incorporation when compared with controls. Conversely, a significant and gradual decrease in the amount of wine tannins was found as a result of biochar application in wines produced from grapes from the Woodhall location. Long-term field experiments are required to assess the effects of biochar on soil properties, vine physiology, productivity, and grape and wine quality several years after incorporation.

Aims Grazing is a key driver of plant communities and soil functions in grassland ecosystems. Soil nematodes play a vital role in soil ecological functions. however, few studies have explored how grazing shapes soil nematode community in different soil layers.Methods we investigated the composition, abundance, diversity, metabolic footprint, and food web metrics of soil nematodes over a gradient of grazing in the 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm soil layers in a meadow steppe. The relationships between nematode community structure and biotic and abiotic factors were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation model (SEM) analysis. Results Light grazing tended to increase the abundance of soil nematodes. Intensive grazing decreased the biomass carbon and metabolic footprints of plant parasites, fungivores, and total soil nematodes in 0-10 cm soils. There was no difference in the biomass carbon and metabolic footprints of soil nematodes among different grazing intensities in the 10-20 cm soil layer. Soil moisture, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass and Shannon diversity of grass contributed more to changes in soil nematode composition in both soil layers. In the 0-10 cm soil layer, grazing directly and indirectly affected soil nematode diversity via soil moisture and aboveground biomass, while grazing directly affected soil nematode diversity in 10-20 cm soil layer. Conclusions Our results indicate that soil depth can weaken the effect of grazing intensities on soil nematode fauna. Grazing affected the soil nematode community structure via different paths in different soil layers.

Pesticides may harm soil organisms such as earthworms and enchytraeids, but knowledge is lacking on their relative sensitivity to these chemicals and the consequences on soil functions. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of exposure to a commercial fungicide formulation (Swing® Gold, containing dimoxystrobin and epoxiconazole) on the function of earthworms (Aporrectodea caliginosa) and enchytraeids (Enchytraeus buchholzi) in soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization. The soil organisms were incubated alone and together in a 26-day laboratory experiment. At the recommended field rate, the fungicide induced a decrease in the SOM mineralization and a delay in the maximum daily CO2 emissions compared to the control soil without fungicide. Soil fauna also influenced SOM mineralization with a higher cumulated CO2 release after 26 days in the control soil with earthworms (by 21%) than without fauna. When both earthworms and enchytraeids were present, SOM mineralization did not increase, and there was a negative effect on earthworm weight gain. Finally, an alteration of fauna influence with treatment was observed from day 19, meaning that the effect of fauna on SOM mineralization changed with fungicide treatment. Earthworms no longer promoted SOM mineralization when fungicide was present at three-fold the recommended field rate. The effects of enchytraeids on SOM mineralization were similar with and without fungicide exposure. This study underlines the importance of considering the relative sensitivity of soil organisms to environmental factors and interactions between them when assessing soil functioning.

The problem of the bearing capacity of the subgrade is one of the most important thingsconsidered in a planning and work of a civil building construction. This matterbecause the soil functions as a medium that withstands the load or action of the constructionbuilt on it. Changes in weather and temperature in the field are factors that makeunstable ground. Many stabilizations have been carried out using cement soil, howeverrequires no small cost and also the results of the implementation of the soil stabilizationrelatively short-lived. Therefore, this research was conducted using a mixture ofsirtu with mixed variations of 15%, 20% and 30%. More variety of mixThe added sirtu causes the water content to decrease which will make the power value decreasethe bearing capacity of the soil increases, the value of the plastic limit increases, while the value of the liquid limit and indexthe plasticity of the soil decreases.

Organomineral associations in micro-aggregate architecture are important in soil functions. The effect of greenhouse management on micro-aggregation should be investigated to rationally maximize the benefits of solar greenhouses. The relationships between combined organic matter and inorganic minerals were studied during a long-term greenhouse experiment for 15 years in Shenyang, China. Stepwise settlement method was used to isolate micro-aggregate fractions. Combined organic matter, sesquioxides and combined inorganic phosphorus were also determined. The mass proportions of 50–250 and

Opencast limestone mines or limestone quarries are considered challenging ecosystems for soil fungi as they are highly degraded land with specific conditions, including high temperature, prolonged sunlight exposure, and a lack of organic matter, moisture, and nutrients in soil. In such ecosystems, certain fungi can survive and have a crucial function in maintaining soil ecosystem functions. Unfortunately, we know very little about taxonomic diversity, potential functions, and the ecology of such fungi, especially for a limestone quarry in a tropical region. Here, we characterized and compared the living soil fungal communities in an opencast limestone mine, including mining site and its associated rehabilitation site (9 months post-rehabilitation), with the soil fungal community in a reference forest, using the amplicon sequencing of enrichment culture. Our results showed that living fungal richness in the quarry areas was significantly lower than that in the reference forest, and their community compositions were also significantly different. Living fungi in the mining sites mostly comprised of Ascomycota (Eurotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes) with strongly declined abundance or absence of Basidiomycota and Mucoromycota. After nine months of rehabilitation, certain taxa were introduced, such as Hypoxylon spp. and Phellinus noxius, though this change did not significantly differentiate fungal community composition between the mining and rehabilitation plots. The majority of fungi in these plots are classified as saprotrophs, which potentially produce all fifteen soil enzymes used as soil health indicators. Network analysis, which was analyzed to show insight into complex structures of living fungal community in the limestone quarry, showed a clear modular structure that was significantly impacted by different soil properties. Furthermore, this study suggests potential taxa that could be useful for future rehabilitation.

Soil is often described as a ‘black box’, as surprisingly little is known about the high levels of biodiversity that reside there. For aboveground organisms, we have good knowledge of the distribution of the species and how they might change under future human impacts. Yet despite the fact that soil organisms provide a wide variety of ecosystem functions, we have very limited knowledge of their distribution and how their diversity might change in the future. In order to create accurate and generalisable models of biodiversity, the underlying data need to be representative of the entire globe. Yet even with our recently compiled global earthworm dataset of over 11000 sites, there are gaps across large regions. These gaps are consistent across many other datasets of both above- and belowground diversity. In order to fill the gaps we propose a sampling network (SoilFaUNa), to create a comprehensive database of soil macrofauna diversity and soil functions (e.g. decomposition rates). Building on the existing dataset of earthworm diversity and early data from the SoilFaUNa project, we will investigate changes in earthworm diversity. From our current work, we know that both climate and land use are main drivers in predicting earthworm diversity, but both will change under future scenarios and may alter ecosystem functions. We will, using space-for-time substitution models, estimate how earthworm diversity and their functions might change in the future, modelling earthworm diversity as a function of climate, land use and soil properties and predicting based on future scenarios. Previous studies of aboveground diversity changes over time using time-series analysis have found no-net-loss in richness, but analyses have criticisms. We aim to use time-series data on earthworms to move this debate forward, by using data and statistical methods that would address the criticisms, whilst increasing our knowledge on this understudied soil group. Field experiments and micro-/mesocosm experiments have been used to investigate the link between a number of soil organisms and ecosystem functions under few environmental conditions. Meta-analyses, which can produce generalisable results can only answer questions for which there are data. Thus, we have been lacking on information on the link between the entire community of soil fauna and ecosystem functions and impact of changes to the soil fauna community across environmental contexts. Using data collected from the SoilFaUNa project, we will, for the first time, synthesise globally distributed specifically-sampled data to model how changes in the community composition of soil macrofauna (due to changes in land use, climate or soil properties) impact the ecosystem functions in the soil.

In Romania, under the aegis of the knowledge society, we naturally wondered if the soil still had a role, through the functions it fulfills, at the level of local communities. In this context, we set out, starting from the definition of soil as a cosmic–telluric–biotic product with notable valences in the transition of communities from hunting to knowledge-based societies, to make some scientific observations on the importance of soil resources. The research methodology was outlined around the importance and functions of soil in society by presenting the current state of land use in the Someș-Tisa region. As reference points, graphs on the hydrometeorological conditions made using the MeteoBlue application and an archive of the meteorological station in Baia Mare were used, as provided (per an open-access regime) by the Someș-Tisa Water Basin Administration and the Maramures County Council, respectively. Moreover, the research was completed with studies conducted by specialists, most of which were included in the Application Guide of the XVIII National Conference of Pedology held in 2006 in Cluj-Napoca. The research results showed that soil resources were still of vital importance for the communities in the Someș-Tisa area, where agricultural and agrotourism practices predominate. At the same time, it was noticed that the soil resources required increased attention as a result of the pollution resulting from the development of mining activities in large areas. Consequently, the soil resources in the Someș-Tisa area, which closely define the evolution of local communities, should be carefully monitored and subject to good practice guidelines specific to the objectives of sustainable development.

An eddy covariance (EC) GHG study was conducted at two comparable agroecosystems in the Central region of European Russia. The study was conducted in 2013 at the RTSAU Experimental Field with Umbric Albeluvisols (Moscow) and a private farm field with Chernozems in the Pristen area (Kursk region). Both studies involved barley crops, but the fields differed in climate, soil and technological conditions. Diurnal values of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) were two times higher in Kursk than in Moscow. The higher gross primary production (GPP) in Kursk was characterized by better climate and soil conditions and, partially, by the low intensity practices of semi-organic farming. GPP dynamics of the two agroecosystems were significantly different only during the first 50 days of vegetation; however, NEE seasonal differences persisted throughout the growing period, with the trends changing until the end of barley ripening. General trends for ecosystem respiration and GPP were determined by the crop phase. NEE seasonal dynamics showed that the Chernozem agroecosystem was characterized by an almost 2-fold increase in the range of CO2 fluxes, largely determined by hydrologic regime features. Since yield in Kursk was 50% lower than that in Moscow, it may be concluded that the use of modern fertilizing and crop protection systems converts a larger portion of GPP into yield mass.

An increasingly urbanized world is one of the most prominent examples of global environmental change. Across the globe, urban parks are designed and managed in a similar way, resulting in visually pleasing expansions of lawn interspersed with individually planted trees of varying appearances and functional traits. These large urban greenspaces have the capacity to provide various ecosystem services, including those associated with soil physicochemical properties. Our aim was to explore whether soil properties in urban parks diverge underneath vegetation producing labile or recalcitrant litter, and whether the impact is affected by climatic zone (from a boreal to temperate to tropical city). We also compared these properties to those in (semi)natural forests outside the cities to assess the influence of urbanization on plant-trait effects. We showed that vegetation type affected percentage soil organic matter (OM), total carbon (C) and total nitrogen (N), but inconsistently across climatic zones. Plant-trait effects were particularly weak in old parks in the boreal and temperate zones, whereas in young parks in these zones, soils underneath the two tree types accumulated significantly more OM, C and N compared to lawns. Within climatic zones, anthropogenic drivers dominated natural ones, with consistently lower values of organic-matter-related soil properties under trees producing labile or recalcitrant litter in parks compared to forests. The dominating effect of urbanization is also reflected in its ability to homogenize soil properties in parks across the three cities, especially in lawn soils and soils under trees irrespective of functional trait. Our study demonstrates that soil functions that relate to carbon and nitrogen dynamics-even in old urban greenspaces where plant-soil interactions have a long history-clearly diverged from those in natural ecosystems, implying a long-lasting influence of anthropogenic drivers on soil ecosystem services.

Soil enzyme activities have been suggested as suitable indicators for the evaluation of metal contamination because they are susceptible to microbial changes caused by heavy metal stress and are strictly related to soil nutrient cycles. However, there is a growing lack of recognition and summary of the historic advancements that use soil enzymology as the proposal of evaluation methods. Here, we review the most common methods of heavy metal pollution evaluation based on enzyme activities, which include single enzyme index, combined enzyme index, enzyme-based functional diversity index, microbiological stress index, and ecoenzymatic stoichiometry models. This review critically examines the advantages and disadvantages of these methods based on their execution complexity, performance, and ecological implications and gets a glimpse of avenues to come to improved future evaluation systems. Indices based on a single enzyme are variable and have no consistent response to soil heavy metals, and the following three composite indices are characterized by the loss of many critical microbial processes, which thus not conducive to reflect the effects of heavy metals on soil ecosystems. Considering the dexterity of ecoenzymatic stoichiometry methods in reflecting changes in soil functions under heavy metal stress, we propose that microbial metabolic limitations quantified by ecoenzymatic stoichiometry models could be promising indicators for enhancing the reality and acceptance of results and further improving the potential for actual utility in environmental decision-making.

Land capability and suitability maps are useful tools for soil resource conservation. This study aimed to build land capability and suitability maps using a multi-thematic approach by GIS in a salt-affected coastal area of Italy. Topographic, morphological, geological, pedological delineations and land cover maps, remote sensing image and climate data were acquired and the main physical and chemical properties, including electrical conductivity (EC) and available water capacity, were analysed on the soil samples collected in the study area. The acquired information were elaborated through QGIS software to obtain the land capability and suitability maps. The suitability map showed that most of the area (80%) is suitable for cultivation and, therefore, can be addressed for agricultural purposes without risk of degradation. In fact, the land capability map showed that 42% of the investigated area belongs to class I and II indicating that they can be used for a wide range of cultivations. While 44% of the investigated area clustered in class III and IV. In these latter the cultivation should be allowed to a limited range of crops due to the high sand content, which does not allow a good water retention, and due to a strong intrusion of sea water with consequent increase of the soil EC. In our study area, where agricultural productivity and environmental impact are in conflict, to classify the lands on base the land capability and suitability could help to define the best agricultural practices to apply in order to preserve soil functions.

Intensive management practices in large-scale oil palm plantations can slow down nutrient cycling and alter other soil functions. Thus, there is a need to reduce management intensity without sacrificing productivity. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of management practices on gross rates of soil N cycling and soil fertility. In Jambi province, Indonesia, we established a management experiment in a large-scale oil palm plantation to compare conventional practices (i.e. high fertilization rates and herbicide weeding) with reduced management intensity (i.e. reduced fertilization rates and mechanical weeding). Also, we compared the typical management zones characterizing large-scale plantations: palm circle, inter-row and frond-stacked area. After 1.5 years of this experiment, reduced and conventional management showed comparable gross soil N cycling rates; however, there were stark differences among management zones. The frond-stacked area had higher soil N cycling rates and soil fertility (high microbial biomass, extractable C, soil organic C, extractable organic N, total N and low bulk density) than inter-row and palm circle (all p ≤ 0.05). Microbial biomass was the main driver of the soil N cycle, attested by its high correlation with gross N-cycling rates (r = 0.93–0.95, p

Soil is an indispensable resource of the terrestrial ecosystem that provides manifold ecosystem services. Soil functions include regulation of nutrient cycle aided by armies of decomposers present in the soil, anchorage of plants and facilitation of their growth, sustenance of water quality, and regulation of water filtration, air quality, and temperature. Soil health is tightly correlated with sustainable agriculture, owing to the multitudinous microflora and fauna residing in the soil whose activity is instrumental to soil welfare. Maintenance of soil structure and quality is, thus, crucial for facilitating rapid plant growth so that the lag between food production and exponential population growth can be bridled. Regarding this, a major group of soil-dwelling fungus, i.e., Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (AMF), regulate soil quality and ecological interactions operating therein. This review pays attention to the AMF-secreted miracle glycoprotein −”glomalin” that considerably influences soil dynamics. The major takeaway is that mycorrhizal association in the rhizosphere improves soil quality by regulating soil aggregation, tilth and fertility, and enriching soil organic carbon pool. Besides, mycorrhiza-mediated amelioration of contaminated soil, which reflects a prominent role of AMF in ecosystem functioning, is also discussed. Along these lines, further studies should target the functional ecology of AMF in agro-ecosystems, and bioprospecting of more AMF strains should be done to completely harness their potential in biocontrol, bioremediation, and soil conservation.

Soil aggregate stability, as an important indicator of soil functions, may be affected by seasonal freezing and thawing (SFT) and land use in high cold and wet regions. Therefore, comprehensive understanding the effects of SFT on aggregate stability in orchards during winter and spring is crucial to develop appropriate management strategies that can effectively alleviate the degradation of soil quality to ensure sustainable development of orchard ecosystems. To determine the mechanism of degradation in orchard soil quality, the effects of SFT on the stability of water-stable aggregates were examined in apple-pear orchards (Pyrus ussuriensis var. ovoidea) of four different ages (11, 25, 40, and 63 yr) on 0 to 5% slopes before freezing and after thawing from October 2015 to June 2016 in Longjing City, Yanbian Prefecture, Northeast China, involving a comparison of planted versus adjacent uncultivated lands (control). Soil samples were collected to investigate water-stable aggregate stability in three incremental soil layers (0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm). In the same samples, iron oxide, organic matter, and clay contents of the soil were also determined. Results showed that the destructive influences of SFT on water-stable aggregates were more pronounced with the increased orchards ages, and SFT exerted severe effects on water-stable aggregates of older orchards (40 and 63 yr) than juvenile orchards. Undergoing SFT, the soil instability index and the percentage of aggregate destruction increased by mean 0.15 mm and 1.86%, the degree of aggregation decreased by mean 1.32%, and the erosion resistance weakened, which consequently led to aggregate stability decreased. In addition, soil free, amorphous, and crystal-line iron oxide as well as soil organic matter and clay contents are all important factors affecting the stability of water-stable aggregates, and their changes in their contents were consistent with those in the stability of water-stable aggregates. The results of this study suggest that long-term planting fruit trees can exacerbate the damaging effects of SFT on aggregate stability and further soil erosion increases and nutrient losses in an orchard, which hider sustainable use of soil and the productivity orchards.

Background Mine tailings are hostile environment. It has been well documented that several microbes can inhabit such environment, and metagenomic reconstruction has successfully pinpointed their activities and community structure in acidic tailings environments. We still know little about the microbial metabolic capacities of alkaline sulphidic environment where microbial processes are critically important for the revegetation. Microbial communities therein may not only provide soil functions, but also ameliorate the environment stresses for plants’ survival. Results In this study, we detected a considerable amount of viable bacterial and archaeal cells using fluorescent in situ hybridization in alkaline sulphidic tailings from Mt Isa, Queensland. By taking advantage of high-throughput sequencing and up-to-date metagenomic binning technology, we reconstructed the microbial community structure and potential coupled iron and nitrogen metabolism pathways in the tailings. Assembly of 10 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), with 5 nearly complete, was achieved. From this, detailed insights into the community metabolic capabilities was derived. Dominant microbial species were seen to possess powerful resistance systems for osmotic, metal and oxidative stresses. Additionally, these community members had metabolic capabilities for sulphide oxidation, for causing increased salinity and metal release, and for leading to N depletion. Conclusions Here our results show that a considerable amount of microbial cells inhabit the mine tailings, who possess a variety of genes for stress response. Metabolic reconstruction infers that the microbial consortia may actively accelerate the sulphide weathering and N depletion therein.

Soil biocrusts, as the fundamental component of drylands, alter soil microbial and plant community compositions, thus profoundly affecting soil multifunctionality (SMF). Biocrust development regulates microbial composition and eco‐physiological effects, but there have been limited assessments regarding how biocrust development impacts SMF through microbial communities and plant species. We investigated the geographical patterns of plant diversity, soil bacterial diversity, biocrust development and SMF along an aridity gradient, spanning 2,200 km in northern China, and evaluated how biocrust development modulated multiple soil functions related to carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles. Plant species richness and SMF decreased linearly with increasing aridity (1‐AI), but the relationship of soil bacterial diversity and biocrust development index (BSCDI) with aridity differed between arid region and semi‐arid region. Plant diversity and soil bacterial diversity increased linearly with BSCDI in arid regions, but decreased linearly with BSCDI in semi‐arid regions. Both plant species and soil bacterial diversity exerted positive effects on SMF in arid regions, but soil bacterial diversity, rather than plant species, did not explain any variation in SMF in semi‐arid regions. Most importantly, biocrust development exerted direct effects on SMF in arid regions, but only indirect effects through changing soil microbial biomass carbon in semi‐arid regions. Our findings suggest that the effects and influencing pathways of biocrusts on SMF are different between arid and semi‐arid regions, these results give a comprehensive view of how biocrust development facilitates soil multifunctionality improvement and ultimately promotes a deeper understanding of the dependence of biodiversity‐SMF relationship on aridity. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Soil is the recipient of organic pollutants as a consequence of anthropogenic activities. Hydrocarbons are contaminants that pose a risk to human and environmental health. Bioremediation of aging contaminated soils is a challenge due to the low biodegradability of contaminants as a result of their interaction with the soil matrix. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of both composting and the addition of mature compost on a soil chronically contaminated with hydrocarbons, focusing mainly on the recovery of soil functions and transformations of the soil matrix as well as microbial community shifts. The initial pollution level was 214 ppm of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 2500 ppm of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHs). Composting and compost addition produced changes on soil matrix that promoted the release of PAHs (5.7 and 15 % respectively) but not the net PAH elimination. Interestingly, composting stimulated AHs elimination (about 24 %). The lack of PAHs elimination could be attributed to the insufficient PAHs content to stimulate the microbial degrading capacity, and the preferential consumption of easily absorbed C sources by the bacterial community. Despite the low PAH catabolic potential of the aging soil, metabolic shift was driven by the addition of organic matter, which could be monitored by the ratio of Proteobacteria to Actinobacteria combined with E4/E6 ratio. Regarding the quality of the soil, the nutrients provided by the exogenous organic matter contributed to the recovery of the global functions and species diversity of the soil along with the reduction of phytotoxicity., Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales, Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología, Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas

Drylands are ecosystems, where lack of rains imposes harsh conditions for the survival of organisms. These ecosystems are also susceptible to degradation and desertification. Their conservation depends on the understanding of the ecological functioning of vegetation and soil. In drylands, the vegetation is spatially structured as a mosaic of patches (vegetation) and interpatches (bare soil). This structure is a consequence of plant-plant interactions (facilitation and competition). Empirical data and modeling approaches reinforce the role of ecological facilitation for the maintenance of all organisms in drylands. However, the true range of facilitation is still poorly known. Here, we explored data of meso- and microarthropods living in soil, as bioindicators, to infer the range of facilitation provided by plants to soil. As dependent variables, we regard data of abundances and species richness collected in random patches (independent samples) and bare soil places. Data from patch size and distances between bare soil and patches were arranged in a single chute. Thus, one may consider a one-dimensional coordinate system, where zero is the border; negative coordinates are distances between bare soil and the border, while positive coordinates represent patch sizes. Discrete portions of this system are taken to calculate averages and variances of abundance and species richness. With these statistics, we investigate how soil communities vary across the patch border. Techniques of data transformation and signal analysis allowed us to reduce the data noise, reveal a continuous mean behavior, and fit a logistic function. Our findings indicate that soil communities change suddenly from simple patterns to numerous and diverse communities in bare soil regions. This abrupt change of fauna quantities, around 0.35 and 0.5 m outside the patch border, means that the facilitation of vegetation on soil goes beyond the patch border. However, the abundance and richness of soil communities in bare soil are small in comparison to overall quantities of soil arthropods. Consequently, variations in quantities of arthropods on bare soil do not necessarily reflect the main role of these soil arthropods for soil functions, which mainly occurs under the patches. Also, we found a minimum patch size (radius ≈ 0.5 m) able to maintain high diverse communities in soil. Accordingly, our results reveal information that can be interpreted in terms of soil amelioration, and, therefore, it indicates the range of plant facilitation, and the minimum patch size able to produce soil amelioration. These findings provide objective values that can be employed to update the general understanding of the ecological dynamics of drylands,as well as to better plan restoration and conservation actions.

This technical note focuses largely on the rheological characteristics of soil behaviour. Since viscoelastic soil functions contain the same information of relaxation and creep properties, different methods of inter-conversion between creep compliance and relaxation modulus are discussed considering linear viscoelasticity. Relaxation test is performed on black cotton soil collected from Angul district of Odisha. The relaxation test data are used as an illustration for all the methods, and the creep behaviour of the soil is computed and compared. The range of viscosity in the specimen is captured and discussed.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) content can greatly affect soil quality by determining and maintaining important soil functions. The study examined SOC, humic substances and molecular composition charact...

Determining the soil factors that drive the dynamics of soil-borne pathogens is an essential step toward the formulation and implementation of strategies for the control of plant diseases. We sampled 48 healthy and infected soils in peanut fields from six counties in Eastern China to explore the relationships between soil multifunctionality, microbial communities, and peanut stem rot pathogen, Athelia rolfsii. The results showed that peanut stem rot infection did not affect soil microbial richness, but it increased soil multifunctionality, altered the microbial community composition, and decreased the complexity of microbial co-occurrence networks significantly. Soil biotic and abiotic factors had markedly effects on A. rolfsii, and specific soil functions and microbial taxa were significantly associated with A. rolfsii abundance. Soil multifunctionality and microbial community compositions negatively affected A. rolfsii abundance, while the effects of bacterial and fungal richness were contrasting for healthy and infected soils. Longitude and latitude indirectly and positively affected A. rolfsii abundance. The results demonstrate that soil multifunctionality and microbial communities play a vital role in regulating the dynamics of peanut stem rot pathogen, which could enhance our understanding of the relationships between soil factors, pathogen dynamics, and plant health.

Organic amendments greatly influence soil functions and biochemical processes that are driven by soil active microbiota. Yet, how organic fertilization impacts transcriptionally active microbes and impacts soil ecosystem functions is still largely unknown. In this study, the variations of RNA-based soil active bacteria and multifunctionality in response to long-term organic fertilization were investigated. We selected an experimental observation station with the application of organic fertilizers for 30 years. High-throughput sequencing and qPCR-based SmartChip assays were employed to explore the abundance, diversity, composition, and function of soil active microorganisms under different application regimes. Organic fertilization increased soil transcriptionally active bacterial abundances significantly, and changed their compositions compared to control treatment. Of the differentially active bacteria, Bacillus was the most abundant genus which was increased by organic fertilization dramatically. Unexpectedly, however, the impacts of organic fertilization on the active communities did not demonstrate a dose-dependent response at the RNA level. SmartChip analysis further indicated that organic fertilization significantly increased the abundances of 25 functional genes associated with energy metabolism, organic matter degradation, denitrification, phosphorus solubilization, sulfur oxidation, and sulfate reduction processes. In addition, soil multifunctionality was also promoted by organic fertilization, and such promotion had a strong relationship with the differentially active bacteria, suggesting that the variations of soil ecosystem functions could be mainly regulated by differentially active bacterial communities. Organic fertilization impacted the abundances and compositions of soil active bacteria, and increased soil multifunctionality. Understanding dynamic changes in soil active microbes is therefore crucial for managing application regimes of organic fertilizers in agricultural practices and evaluating element biogeochemical cycling in soil.

The continuous application and often the overuse of pesticides in agricultural soils influence in time soil microbiota abundance and metabolic activities, with final potential negative effects on soil functioning. Recently, bioaugmentation has emerged as an advantageous method for revitalizing agricultural soils affected by chemicals use. In this study, the hypothesis that transplantation of soil cores with optimal microbiota community structure could serve in affected soil microbiota restoration and pesticides degradation enhancement was evaluated. To assess soil core transplantation efficiency, in this study were investigated implication of soil microbiota structure and abundance in pyrethroids degradation in soil, as well pyrethroids impact on soil microbiota metabolic activity. The presence of pyrethroid pesticides as cypermethrin, deltamethrin and fenvalerate in agricultural soils from Turda was evidenced within range of 119 845 g.kg-1. They negatively impacted both soil bacterial and fungal community abundance, decreasing them with approximately 50%. The impact of transplanted soil cores on both soil microbiota abundance as well on cypermethrin, deltamethrin and fenvalerate concentration was also evidenced. A revitalization of microbiota abundance in contaminated soil was observed after transplant (increase with 1.5-fold generally). These data positively sustain that affected soil microbiota due to use of pyrethroid pesticide could be revitalized through transplant of soil cores with no contamination.

Review on microplastic toxicity in agroecosystems is scarce. Thus, we develop a conceptual model (based on literature to date) that describes various microplastic effects using a size-scale. We also classify crops depending on their observed responses, and discuss several conceptual mechanisms of soil functions. The model shows that microplastic effects on crops can be positive, toxic, lethal and no-effect. Predominantly, microfibers in a wide range of sizes can positively affect crops. However, toxic effects of microplastics with/without other pollutants are more common at different sizes. Surprisingly, biodegradable plastic effects are lethal, calling into question their environmental friendliness. No-effect on crops is also possible but less observed. Unlike other crops (e.g., wheat, maize and bean), only onion seems resistant to microplastics. Crop uptake of micro/nanoplastic demands a clear benchmark to ensure food-safety. Furthermore, mixed effects are observed on soil functions. Alternation in soil enzymes and litter decomposition can affect nutrients and organic matter biogeochemistry. Hydrophobicity can be induced by increasing evaporation. Shifts in microbial community structure and activities are inevitable.

There are still uncertainties regarding the long-term impact of no-tillage farming practices on separate soil functions in the United Kingdom. This paper aimed to evaluate the chemical and physical processes in two different agricultural soils under no-tillage and conventional management practices to determine their impact on water related soil functions at field scale in the United Kingdom. The field-scale monitoring compares two neighboring farms with similar soil and topographic characteristics—one of the farms implemented no-tillage practices in 2013, while the second farm is under conventional soil management with moldboard plowing. Two soil types were evaluated under each farming practice: (1) a free-draining porous limestone, and (2) a lime-rich loamy soil with high silt and clay content. Field monitoring was undertaken over a two-year period and included nutrient analysis of surface and subsurface soil samples, bulk density, soil moisture, infiltration capacity, surface runoff, and analysis of phosphorus (P) and suspended solids in watercourses in close proximity to the test fields. The conversion to no-tillage changed the soil structure, leading to a higher bulk density and soil organic matter content and thereby increasing the soil moisture levels. These changes impacted the denitrification rates, reducing the soil nitrate (NO3) levels. The increased plant material cover under no-tillage increased the levels of soil phosphate (PO43–) and PO43– leaching. The extent to which soil functions were altered by farming practice was influenced by the soil type, with the free-draining porous limestone providing greater benefits under no-tillage in this study. The importance of including soils of different characteristics, texture, and mineralogy in the assessment and monitoring of farming practice is emphasized, and additionally the between field and in-field spatial variability (both across the field and with depth) highlighted the importance of a robust sampling strategy that encompasses a large enough sample to effectively reveal the impact of the farming practice.

The ever-increasing human population has resulted in political pressure to increase crop production. Currently, smallholder farmers are expected to be environmentally considerate, adapt to extreme climatic conditions and deal with financial instability. Despite these recent developments, farmers and their farming activities in these rural environs of developing countries need to improve household food and income security on a sustainable basis. A minimum data set selected from extensive data was used to determine indicators for soil sustainability assessment. This method involved expert opinion and statistical data reduction techniques. The results indicated that SOC, MBC, BS, EC, Spo and sand were the most important variables selected as MDS using PC analysis. Forest and Grassland had a high sustainability index (SI) while Savannah woodland, Fallow and Cropland were rated not sustainable (NS). For Cumulative rating using the total dataset (CR-TDS), Forest had a high sustainability index (HS), Savannah woodland and Grassland were sustainable (S) compared to Fallow and Cropland, which were sustainable with high input (SWHI). Also, for cumulative rating using the minimum dataset (CR-MDS), Forest, Savannah woodland and Grassland had high sustainability (SH) indices compared to Fallow and Cropland, which were considered sustainable with high input (SWHI). Sustainability index (SI) and Cumulative rating (CR) using the total dataset (CR-TDS) had a strong correlation (R2 = 0.91, p 2 = 0.44, p 2 = 0.60, p < 0.05). These methods consider that these management goals dictate soil functions affecting the selection of indicators. Using PCA and variance analysis, silt, clay, EC, SOC, MBC and CEC relating to soil texture and fertility were identified as the most influential (sensitive) indicators for soil sustainability assessment. The selected soil attributes can serve as target indicators for soil fertility restoration, erosion control and management in the Nkoranza district. Therefore, a farm-level sustainability index for small-scale and commercial farms is proposed based on readily available data for the Savannah Transition Agro-ecozone of Ghana.

Despite soil is a thin layer covering terrestrial Earth surface, it carries out functions that are essential for the terrestrial life forms and these functions are mainly conducted by soil icroorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria. They live in a complex, structured and peculiar nvironment. Microbial diversity is huge and soil is considered the most biodiverse ecosystem on arth because a handful of soil can contain thousands of millions microbial cells. Despite the high microbial biomass only less than 1% of the available space is occupied by soil microorganisms because most of the available microenvironments show conditions hostile to microbial life. The application of molecular techniques has markedly improved the knowledge of the microbial life and activity in soil. In particular, the microbial species inhabiting soil can be detected whereas the expression of genes is still a technical challenge. Gross rates of nutrient transformations can be determined by using labelled compounds with positive implications on the evaluation of soil nutrient dynamics, including availability for plants.

Degradation of soil functions in storing and cycling nutrients may be related to topography and land-use change. The research aimed to analyze the impact of land-use changes and slope positions on soil function in nutrient stock within Kalikungkuk micro watershed of East Java, Indonesia. Four different land-uses such as vegetable crops, agroforestry, shrub and forest were selected with three slope positions (e.g. ridge, slope, and valley), and three replications of each. Soil samples were collected at 0-10, 10-30, 30-50, and 50-100 cm depth of soil. Variables measured included soil properties (e.g. bulk density, soil texture, pH, CEC, soil nutrients). Slope positions impact on differences in soil physical (i.e. soil bulk density, soil texture) and chemical (i.e. total N, exchangeable K) properties. In addition, forest conversion to other land-uses (i.e. agroforestry, shrub, vegetable crops) decreased soil nutrient concentration (i.e. total C, total N, Ca, Mg, Na), and consequently resulted in degradation of soil nutrient stocks of especially C and N. The strong positive correlation between soil nutrient stock (e.g. C and N) and vegetation cover such as canopy cover, basal area, and litter (r = 0.63 – 0.78, r table 1% = 0.39) showed the benefit of biodiversity in maintaining soil function on the nutrient stock.

Protecting the structure and functioning of soil ecosystems is one of the central aims of current regulations of chemicals. This is, for instance, shown by the emphasis on the protection of key drivers and ecosystem services as proposed in the protection goal options for soil organisms by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Such targets require insight into soil biodiversity, its role in the functioning of ecosystems, and the way it responds to stress. Also required are tools and methodologies for properly assessing biodiversity. To address these issues, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe 14th Special Science Symposium (SESSS14) was held 19 to 20 November 2019 in Brussels, Belgium. The central aim of the SESSS14 was to provide information on how to include soil biodiversity and soil functions as protection goal options in the risk assessment and quantification of the effects of chemicals and other stressors (including their respective regulations). This paper is based on the presentations and discussions at the SESSS14 and will give a brief update on the scientific state‐of‐the art on soil biodiversity, novel scientific developments, experimental and modeling approaches, as well as case studies. It will also discuss how these approaches could inform future risk assessment of chemicals and other stressors in the regulatory context of protecting soil ecosystems. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:541–551. © 2020 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC), KEY POINTS The SETAC Europe 14th Special Science Symposium (SESSS14) aimed at providing information on how to include soil biodiversity and soil functions (ecosystem services) as protection goal options in the risk assessment and quantification of the effects of chemicals and other stressors.Definitions and associated terminology currently used to describe soil biodiversity are given, together with a brief but comprehensive state‐of‐the‐art overview of the current scientific knowledge on soil biodiversity and its relation to the functioning of soils.Backgrounds and current practices regarding the way protection of soil biodiversity is addressed in chemical regulations are described, including drawbacks and the possible ways forward.Novel methods for assessing biodiversity in soils are presented, as well as approaches, both experimental and modeling, for assessing effects of (chemical) stressors on soil biodiversity and the potential consequences for ecosystem services.

Soil organic matter has vital role in maintaining important soil functions. Consequently, using sewage sludge as soil organic amendment is considered one of the agricultural practices for improving...

A vast portion of the surface of the Earth is desert and desertified land, where, due to the harsh natural environment, vegetation is generally scarce. Soil microbes play important roles in ecosystems and have been used as indicators of soil quality and health. However, microbial interactions in desert ecosystems remain poorly understood. In this study, we collected soil samples from 12 deserts in northern China, spanning four climate types representing distinct aridity gradients, to evaluate bacterial and eukaryotic co‐occurrence networks, and analyze environmental factors determining microbial interactions and their relationships with these factors. At the regional scale, bacterial and eukaryotic interactions strengthened with increasing mean annual precipitation (MAP). They were also influenced by soil total phosphorus and the normalized difference vegetation index. At the local scale, although soil‐, climate‐, and plant‐related factors significantly constrained bacterial and eukaryotic networks, their relative effects varied. Overall, eukaryotic communities formed smaller and less complex networks than bacterial communities. Both bacterial and eukaryotic networks were more complex in deserts with higher MAP, suggesting that they are more stable and play more important roles in biogeochemical cycling in these areas than in lower MAP deserts. Our results provide further evidence that altered precipitation gradient probably leads to unstable and vulnerable microbial communities. This study enhances our understanding of microbial community organization in desert ecosystems, while providing novel insights into soil health. These findings should prove valuable in the evaluation of land development and degradation processes.

Tillage practices on sloping ground often result in unsustainable soil losses impairing soil functions such as crop productivity, water and nutrients storage, and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. A sloping olive grove (10%) was planted in shallow gypsiferous soils in 2004. It was managed by minimum tillage; the most frequent management practice in central Spain. The consequences of erosion were studied in soil samples (at 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm depths) by analyzing SOC, available water and gypsum content, and by detecting spectral signatures using an ASD FieldSpecPro® VIS/NIR-spectroradiometer. The Brightness index (BI), Shape index (FI), and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were derived from the ASD spectral signatures and from remote sensing (Sentinel-2 image) data. The development of these young olive trees was estimated from the measured diameter of the trunks (17 ± 18 cm diameter). In 20–30 cm of the soil, the carbon stock (38 ± 18 Mg ha−1) as well as the available water content (12 ± 6%) was scarce, affecting the productivity of the olive grove. The above-mentioned indices obtained from the laboratory samples and the pixels of the Sentinel-2 image were significantly (p

For more than a century, the need for energy has exerted high demand on oil-production and led to significant negative impacts on soil and water resources. The aim of our work was to assess such impacts on the ecological functions of oil contaminated soils in West Siberia of Russia. The total petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) content in contaminated soils varied between 3.7 and 390 g kg-1 . While peat had the ability to absorb some PHC, excess oil migrated in soil both downward and laterally. Catalase activity, soil respiration activity (BR - Basil Respiration, Cmic - microbial biomass carbon, qCO2 - specific respiration activity), Enchytraeus albidus survival and reproduction rates showed significant negative correlations with PHC concentrations and thus they can be used as guides for establishing acceptable PHC limits in peat soils. Based on the Logit model, the concentration of PHC in peat soil that corresponds to ∼20% reduction on functions (worm's reproduction, catalase activity and basal respiration) is about 40-50 g kg-1 . The concentrations of PHC that will result in 80% functional reductions (i.e., near complete loss on functional activities) are: worm's production - 177 g kg-1 ; catalase activity - 123 g kg-1 ; and basal respiration - 311 g kg-1 . This study provides quantitative understanding of the ecological impact of PHC contamination on peat soils, and thus helps to establish science-based guidelines for the protection of ecological functions and services of peatland soils. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

With increasing societal demands for food security and environmental sustainability on land, the question arises: to what extent do synergies and trade-offs exist between soil functions and how can they be measured across Europe? To address this challenge, we followed the functional land management approach and assessed five soil functions: primary productivity, water regulation and purification, climate regulation, soil biodiversity and nutrient cycling. Soil, management and climate data were collected from 94 sites covering 13 countries, five climatic zones and two land-use types (arable and grassland). This dataset was analysed using the Soil Navigator, a multicriteria decision support system developed to assess the supply of the five soil functions simultaneously. Most sites scored high for two to three soil functions, demonstrating that managing for multifunctionality in soil is possible but that local constraints and trade-offs do exist. Nutrient cycling, biodiversity and climate regulation were less frequently delivered at high capacity than the other two soil functions. Using correlation and co-occurrence analyses, we also found that synergies and trade-offs between soil functions vary among climatic zones and land-use types. This study provides a new framework for monitoring soil quality at the European scale where both the supply of soil functions and their interactions are considered. Highlights: Managing and monitoring soil multifunctionality across Europe is possible. Synergies and trade-offs between soil functions exist, making it difficult to maximize the supply of all five soil functions simultaneously. Synergies and trade-offs between soil functions vary by climatic zone and land-use type. Climate regulation, biodiversity and nutrient cycling are less frequently delivered at high capacity.