Carsten Schneider, the Federal Environment Minister, says: "The rich diversity of species is what defines soil as an essential basis for life—for us humans and for the environment. Healthy and living soils are true all-rounders. They not only support our food supply but also serve as natural water reservoirs—even during extreme droughts or floods. In addition, they store large amounts of carbon, playing a crucial role in combating climate change."
Until now, the world of soil organisms has remained largely unexplored, despite its vital importance to human life. The value of soil biodiversity has long been underestimated, even though it plays an essential role in the healthy functioning of our ecosystems. If the soil is healthy, it means that the animals and microorganisms that live in the soil are active. They regulate nutrient cycles, store carbon in soils, mix soil layers, and help retain rainwater. ‘Ecosystem engineers’, such as earthworms, are just one example of the many organisms at work. Even insects, which we typically associate with being above ground, depend on healthy soils. For example, a large portion of wild bee species important for pollination nest in soil.
"Soil organisms help us to mitigate the impacts of climate change and increase the fertility of our soil. They play an invaluable role, especially considering that 90 percent of our food is grown in soil. Therefore, the introduction of pollutants, soil exploitation, drought, and erosion—all of which place severe pressure on soil biodiversity and lead to soil loss—are all the more damaging," says UBA President Dirk Messner.
Numerous harmful factors such as soil contamination, unsustainable soil use and climate change are putting stress on soil biodiversity. In order to better understand these impacts and counteract them, the research project is now investigating the typical composition of soil ecosystems in Germany. The aim of the ‘Basic Assessment of Soil Biodiversity’ (BioDive4Soil) is to define what good biological soil condition is and identify significant deviations. The project is being implemented as part of the Federal Action Plan on Nature (ANK). Alongside data collection on earthworms, springtails, mites, nematodes, fungi, and bacteria, researchers will also record relevant influencing factors. Because while we possess extensive knowledge about, for instance, aquatic ecosystems, we still largely lack the necessary information to assess the biological condition of soils—and how it changes over time.
"The collaborative project work in BioDive4Soil over the next few years is a unique opportunity to systematically and comprehensively assess biodiversity in soils," says Prof. Christoph Schäfers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology. "The results will provide vital answers to the pressing question of how biodiversity in soils can be better protected and its ecosystem services preserved for human benefit."
Further information
Over the next six years, researchers from across Germany in the field of soil ecology will study biodiversity in various soil types with different uses. Since the diversity of organisms in soils is extraordinarily high—in one gram of soil, there can be trillions of bacteria and several thousand organisms from different taxonomic groups—capturing this diversity will be a particular scientific feat. To meet this challenge and to simplify the identification of soil organisms in the future, the latest molecular biological methods will also be used.
The project team will work closely with additional research institutions to incorporate projects that are already underway. In addition to the UBA, these institutions include the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the National Monitoring Centre for Biodiversity, the Thünen Institute, the Julius Kühn Institute, as well as the National Soil Monitoring Centre.
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