Are you interested in microbiology or ecology? Ever wandered what is hidden in the soil?
The Joint Research Centre and Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) have collaborated in creating a unique publication – the Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas. The Atlas maps the soil biodiversity not only of Europe but of the entire planet. It gives information on the soil organisms and explains their geographical and temporal distribution. It also draws attention to soil threats such as pollution, unsustainable land use, and invasive species.
Chapter 1: Soil Habitat – presents the main characteristics of the soil ecosystem.
Chapter 2: Diversity of Soil Organisms – describes the organisms that live in the soil.
Chapter 3: Geographical & Temporal Distribution – gives more information on the distribution of soil biota.
Chapter 4: Ecosystem Functions & Services – explains the importance of the belowground biodiversity to global sustainability.
Chapter 5: Threats – shows how climate and humans affect the soil organisms.
Chapter 6: Interventions – presents possible solutions for conservation of the soil
Chapter 7: Policy, Education, and Outreach – talks about soil research, education and soil-related science projects.
Chapter 8: Conclusions – summarizes key findings from the Atlas.
Short summaries of each chapter could be found here.
More than 70 organisations have contributed in the creating of the publication, which as well includes several hundred individual contributions.
The Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas was published in 2016, and a new revised version was recently uploaded on the JRC webpage. It is available for free download via the JRC, the GSBI and EU Bookshop. Printed copies can be purchased from the EU Bookshop.
More information about the Atlas could be found on the JRC page.
