Climate change impacts on soil biology

Citation

Canarini A, Fuchslueger L, Joly F & Richter A (2023) Climate change impacts on soil biology. In: Goss MJ & Oliver M (eds.) Encyclopedia of Soils in the Environment. 2 ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp. 578-586. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-822974-3.00244-5

Abstract
Human activities have caused a rapid climate change affecting all parts of the biosphere, including soils. Soil organisms from all three domains of life, their interactions, and all soil processes for which they are responsible are influenced by and in turn respond to climate change. The understanding of how soil organisms and their processes react to climate changes, is thus central to our ability to manage ecosystems and develop strategies to mitigate climate change. This chapter examines the current state of soil biology (from organisms and communities to the processes they control) in the context of climate change and identifies current gaps in knowledge and promising ways forward.

Keywords
Climate change; Climate feedbacks; Drought; Ecological interactions; Elevated CO2; Soil fauna; Soil food-web; Soil microorganisms; Soil processes; Warming

People

Dr Francois-Xavier Joly

Lecturer in Soil, Biological and Environmental Sciences