Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1126/science.abd7926
Title (Primary) Tracking, targeting, and conserving soil biodiversity - A monitoring and indicator system can inform policy
Author Guerra, C.A.; Bardgett, R.D.; Caon, L.; Crowther, T.W.; Delgado-Baquerizo, M.; Montanarella, L.; Navarro, L.M.; Orgiazzi, A.; Singh, B.K.; Tedersoo, L.; Vargas-Rojas, R.; Briones, M.J.I.; Buscot, F.; Cameron, E.K.; Cesarz, S.; Chatzinotas, A.; Cowan, D.A.; Djukic, I.; van der Hoogen, J.; Lehmann, A.; Maestre, F.T.; Marín, C.; Reitz, T.; Rillig, M.C.; Smith, L.C.; de Vries, F.T.; Weigelt, A.; Wall, D.H.; Eisenhauer, N.
Source Titel Science
Year 2021
Department UMB; BOOEK; iDiv
Volume 371
Issue 6526
Page From 239
Page To 241
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
T7 Bioeconomy
Abstract Nature conservation literature and policy instruments mainly focus on the impacts of human development and the benefits of nature conservation for oceans and aboveground terrestrial organisms (e.g., birds and plants) and processes (e.g., food production), but these efforts almost completely ignore the majority of terrestrial biodiversity that is unseen and living in the soil (1). Little is known about the conservation status of most soil organisms and the effects of nature conservation policies on soil systems. Yet like “canaries in the coal mine,” when soil organisms begin to disappear, ecosystems will soon start to underperform, potentially hindering their vital functions for humankind. Soil biodiversity and its ecosystem functions thus require explicit consideration when establishing nature protection priorities and policies and when designing new conservation areas. To inform such efforts, we lay out a global soil biodiversity and ecosystem function monitoring framework to be considered in the context of the post-2020 discussions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). To support this framework, we suggest a suite of soil ecological indicators based on essential biodiversity variables (EBVs) (2) (see the figure and table S3) that directly link to current global targets such as the ones established under the CBD, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris Agreement (table S1).
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=24121
Guerra, C.A., Bardgett, R.D., Caon, L., Crowther, T.W., Delgado-Baquerizo, M., Montanarella, L., Navarro, L.M., Orgiazzi, A., Singh, B.K., Tedersoo, L., Vargas-Rojas, R., Briones, M.J.I., Buscot, F., Cameron, E.K., Cesarz, S., Chatzinotas, A., Cowan, D.A., Djukic, I., van der Hoogen, J., Lehmann, A., Maestre, F.T., Marín, C., Reitz, T., Rillig, M.C., Smith, L.C., de Vries, F.T., Weigelt, A., Wall, D.H., Eisenhauer, N. (2021):
Tracking, targeting, and conserving soil biodiversity - A monitoring and indicator system can inform policy
Science 371 (6526), 239 - 241 10.1126/science.abd7926