Connecting soil biodiversity to functions and ecosystem services: presentation of case studies and of the EU FP7 project EcoFINDERS

Soils provide essential ecosystem services such as primary production, regulation of biogeochemical cycles and their consequences on climate, water filtration, resistance to pests and diseases, and regulation of above-ground biodiversity. These services result from functions supported by soil organisms. Their abundance, diversity and activities vary according to environmental factors and Human activities. Despite progress made over the last decade in assessing soil biodiversity, the huge reservoir of biodiversity represented by soils remains superficially explored as do the relations between soil biodiversity and functioning. This lack of knowledge is related to the small size of most organ…