Description

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This summary provides an overview of the threats to soil biodiversity and the solutions that soil biodiversity can provide to problems in different fields, including agriculture, environmental conservation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, nutrition, medicine and pharmaceuticals, remediation of polluted sites, and many others. There is increasing attention on the importance of biodiversity for food security and nutrition, especially above-ground biodiversity such as plants and animals. Less attention is being paid to the biodiversity beneath our feet: soil biodiversity. Yet the rich diversity of soil organisms drives many processes that produce food, regenerate soil or purify water. This report is the result of an inclusive process involving more than 300 scientists from around the world under the auspices of FAO's Global Soil Partnership and its Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative, and the European Commission.

About the Author

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Founded in 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO provides a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. The Organization publishes authoritative publications on agriculture, fisheries, forestry and nutrition.