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15-12-2023

Discovering the Essential Role of Soil Fauna in Edaphic Food Networks with Eduardo Mateos

Soil invertebrate diversity is essential for its health and fertility. Dr. Eduardo Mateos, from the Department of Evolutionary Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute of the University of Barcelona is responsible for the zoological collections and teacher in zoology. He explains the fundamental role played by these invertebrates in the trophic networks of the soil.

Edaphic Food Networks 

Terrestrial ecosystems depend enormously on the cycling of organic matter, which is essential to sustain life in them. The production of organic matter is the basis for feeding the non-photosynthetic organisms that inhabit these ecosystems, whether they are primary consumers or decomposers of organic matter. Once decomposed, this releases essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and other minerals, which are absorbed by plants, thus restarting the production cycle of aerial organic matter through photosynthesis. 

Soil invertebrates, along with protozoa (single-celled eukaryotic organisms), bacteria and fungi, play a fundamental role in the decomposition processes of this organic matter; all of them are part of edaphic food webs. 

Invertebrates play different roles within soil food webs; Some fragment organic matter into smaller particles, becoming primary consumers of it. 

Soil invertebrates, mostly microarthropods, are grouped into three functional guilds: 

  • Micropredators: Small invertebrates that control microbial communities on a microscopic scale. 

  

  • Detritus transformers: Medium and large-sized invertebrates that mechanically fragment organic detritus, making it more accessible to microorganisms that decompose it. 

  

  • Ecosystem Engineers: Large invertebrates that collaborate in maintaining soil fertility and aeration through their mechanical and chemical activities. 

Source: Mateos, E. (2016). La fauna del sòl i les xarxes tròfiques edàfiques. 

Ecological Importance 

These groups have a fundamental role in the functioning of complex edifice trophic systems, resisting disturbances and maintaining the functionality of the ecosystem. 

“Invertebrates represent 20% of the total biomass of organisms that live on earth (except plant beds). In fertile soils, the total biomass of invertebrates is estimated to be 20 tons per hectare, and its diversity is comparable to that of a coral reef. 

Source: Mateos, E. (2016). La fauna del sòl i les xarxes tròfiques edàfiques. 

Soil fauna is incredibly diverse and plays a crucial role in soil food webs, interacting and contributing significantly to the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient cycling in the soil. This role maintains healthy soils, a fundamental basis for our food security. Furthermore, soil biodiversity is essential to guarantee good drainage and thus ensure the quality of the water cycle. We highlight this emerging concern for public policies in another news article published this week. 

Climate change is a factor that can considerably alter the close interaction of soil organisms, leading to an imbalance in the availability of nutrients and other resources, resulting in a change in the biodiversity of the environment. However, healthy soils contribute to climate change mitigation by maintaining or increasing their carbon content. 

In the words of Eduardo Mateos, “soil invertebrates are essential for the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, triggering key processes such as the decomposition and mineralization of organic matter. Their diversity and functional roles contribute to the stability and efficiency of these ecosystems”. His work highlights the importance of understanding and preserving subterranean biodiversity to ensure the health of our terrestrial ecosystems.