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Sampling Soils in a Heterogeneous Research Plot
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Enumerating soil biodiversity.

Mark A Anthony1,2, S Franz Bender1,3, Marcel G A van der Heijden1,3

  • 1Plant-Soil Interactions Unit, Research Division Agroecology and Environment, Agroscope, Zürich 8046, Switzerland.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 7, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Soil harbors nearly 60% of Earth's species, a significantly higher estimate than previously thought. This research highlights soil as the planet's most biodiverse habitat, crucial for conservation efforts.

Keywords:
biodiversitydiversitysoil biodiversitysoil diversity

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Soil Science
  • Biodiversity Research

Background:

  • Quantifying soil biodiversity is challenging, with previous estimates often excluding microbial or non-animal species.
  • Understanding the full extent of soil-dwelling organisms is critical for ecological assessments.

Approach:

  • A comprehensive review of existing biodiversity literature was conducted.
  • Species data were analyzed to determine the proportion inhabiting soil environments across various taxa.

Key Points:

  • Soil is estimated to host 59 ± 15% of all species on Earth, nearly double previous estimations.
  • High percentages of Enchytraeidae (98.6%), fungi (90%), Plantae (85.5%), and Isoptera (84.2%) are soil-dwelling.
  • Soil is identified as the single most biodiverse habitat globally.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides a significantly revised and expanded estimate of global soil biodiversity.
  • Accurate soil biodiversity data are essential for advocating effective conservation and restoration strategies in the Anthropocene.