"Soil organisms are an integral part of agricultural ecosystems. The presence of a range of a diverse community of soil organisms is essential for the maintenance of productive soils. Soil organisms are responsible for a range of ecological functions and ecosystem services including: nutrient cycling and nitrogen fixation, control of pest and diseases, organic matter decomposition and carbon sequestration, maintenance of a good soil structure for plant growth and rainwater infiltration, detoxification of contaminants. An excessive reduction in soil biodiversity, especially the loss of species with key functions, may result in severe effects including the long-term degradation of soil and the loss of agricultural productive capacity. Soil health and soil quality are fundamental to the sustained productivity and viability of agricultural systems worldwide." - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, SOIL MACROFAUNA FIELD MANUAL
Infographic from FAO, 2015. Soils host a quarter of our planet's biodiversity. Soil is one of nature's most complex ecosystems: it contains a myriad of organisms which interact and contribute to the global cycles that make all life possible.
Interested in scouting for beneficial insects in you soil: Check out this scouting tool provided by Xerces Society.
Interested in scouting for beneficial insects in you soil: Check out this scouting tool provided by Xerces Society.
