Naturebiopromo

Soil Biodiversity

Soil is a highly complex and dynamic system that changes across space and time. It is made up of minerals (mainly silica with trace metals), organic matter with many compounds, diverse organisms, and water. Its texture depends on the mix of sand, silt, and clay, while moisture ranges from dry zones to water-filled micropores except in severe drought. Organic matter usually decreases with depth and varies by location. This heterogeneity creates numerous ecological niches, supporting remarkable biodiversity.

Categories of soil biota

Microfauna

Size range 1-100 µm

Bacteria

100 billion cells from 10,000 species

Fungi

50 km of hyphae from 100’s of species

Protozoa

100,000 cells from 100’s of species

Nematodes

Mesofauna

Size range 100 µm - 2mm

Tardigrades

Collembola

Mites

Combined

1,000’s individuals from 100’s of species

Macro/Megafauna

Size range > 2mm

Earthworms

Ants

Wooldlice

Centipedes

Amphibians and reptiles

Mammals

Birds

Combined

100’s individuals from 10’s of species

Source: S. Jeffery, C. Gardi, A. Jones, L. Montanarella, L. Marmo, L. Miko, K. Ritz, G. Peres, J. Römbke and W. H. van der Putten (eds.), 2010, European Atlas of Soil Biodiversity. European Commission, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.)