Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 17, 2025
08:21
Isolation and Screening from Soil Biodiversity for Fungi Involved in the Degradation of Recalcitrant Materials
Published on: May 16, 2022
5.5K
Identifying potential threats to soil biodiversity.
Mark Tibbett1, Tandra D Fraser1, Sarah Duddigan1
1Department of Sustainable Land Management and Soil Research Centre, School of Agriculture Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom.
Peerj
|June 23, 2020
Summary
Soil biodiversity decline impacts soil function. Research on threats to soil biodiversity shows a gap between scientific focus and expert-identified priorities, with emerging issues like microplastics underrepresented.
Area of Science:
- * Soil ecology and environmental science.
- * Biodiversity research and conservation.
- * Soil science and sustainable land management.
Background:
- * Soil biodiversity, encompassing the variety and quantity of soil life, is crucial for soil function, resilience, and recovery.
- * Threats such as intensive land use, organic matter decline, and climate change negatively impact soil biodiversity.
- * A comprehensive understanding of soil biodiversity and its monitoring is essential for ecosystem health.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To review and define soil biodiversity and its importance in monitoring.
- * To identify and categorize threats to soil biodiversity through a literature review.
- * To compare current research focus with expert-identified priorities for soil biodiversity threats.
Main Methods:
- * Conducted a Web of Science literature search using keywords related to threats and soil biodiversity.
- * Compiled and analyzed threats to soil biodiversity discussed in reviewed publications.
- * Compared findings with a prior expert assessment of soil biodiversity threats.
- * Identified emerging threats, such as microplastics, within the last decade.
Main Results:
- * Many studies examine specific soil biota groups rather than overall soil biodiversity.
- * A significant disparity exists between the number and priority of threats addressed in research versus expert assessments.
- * Emerging threats like microplastics are increasingly recognized but may be under-researched.
- * Global scientific activity on soil biodiversity threats is only partially aligned with perceived priorities.
Conclusions:
- * Current research on soil biodiversity threats does not fully align with expert-identified priorities.
- * The complexity of assessing soil biodiversity can lead to a focus on individual groups rather than the whole ecosystem.
- * There is a concerning lack of research effort in high-priority areas, necessitating community discussion and research agenda adjustments.
- * Emerging threats require increased attention and research to ensure effective soil health and ecosystem services.
Related Concept Videos
01:50Threats to Biodiversity
26.3K
There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...
26.3K
01:24Biodiversity and Human Values
16.2K
Human civilization relies on biodiversity in many ways. Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather patterns and therefore human civilizations.
16.2K
02:23The Soil Ecosystem
24.3K
Plants obtain inorganic minerals and water from the soil, which acts as a natural medium for land plants. The composition and quality of soil depend not only on the chemical constituents but also on the presence of living organisms. In general, soils contain three major components:
24.3K
02:31Habitat Fragmentation
20.8K
Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.
20.8K
01:19What is Biodiversity?
32.1K
Biodiversity describes the variety of living things at multiple organizational levels: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Species diversity includes all branches of the evolutionary tree from single-celled prokaryotic organisms, bacteria, and archaea, to the eukaryotic kingdoms: plants; animals; fungi; and protists. To date, there have been about 1.75 million species identified, and new species are discovered every week.
32.1K
02:11The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition
46.3K
Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
46.3K