OOS 47 - Diverse Perspectives on the Future of Soil Biodiversity

Organizer(s)

• AB

  Alison Bennett

  Associate Professor
  The Ohio State University
  Columbus, Ohio, United States

Soil biodiversity and the interactions between soil fauna, flora, and microbes drive many of the ecosystem processes that support life on earth. Given this, governments in other parts of the world, such as the European Commission, have recently begun to implement research and monitoring programs as a basis to develop policies and regulations to protect soil and soil-driven ecosystem processes. With the recognition from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the Convention of Biological Diversity, and the European Commission, among others. The goals of this session are to ask our presenters who are diverse in research area and gender:

1. What advancements in soil biodiversity science and education have been made?
2. Where do the gaps in knowledge exist from your perspective (research area, institution, region, etc.)?
3. What needs exist and should be met for soil biodiversity science to not only advance, but to integrate this research into education, environmental policy, stakeholders, and ensure its inclusivity?

This session is being sponsored by the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative, a volunteer network of researchers, educators, and across the globe that seeks to encourage the inclusion of soil biodiversity research that aims to close the gap in our knowledge of how soil fauna, flora and microbes interact in policy and land management. This session and its topic are of interest to the general ecology community because the growing pains that soil biodiversity science is encountering are being, and have been, traversed by other areas of ecology. We think this is a unique offering for any ecologist from a burgeoning ecological area to provide feedback and comment.

Presentations:

• 3:30 PM – 3:45 PM PDT

  What is the importance of changes in composition of soil microbiome for predicting plant traits or function?
  

  Presenting Author: Alison E. Bennett – The Ohio State University

  Co-author: Antonino Malacrinò – University of Reggio Calabria
• 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

  Integrating urban soil biodiversity into environmental education for the future of science and sustainability
  

  Presenting Author: Loren B. Byrne – Roger Williams University
• 4:00 PM – 4:15 PM PDT

  Soil Biodiversity for Optimizing Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles in Agroecosystems
  

  Presenting Author: Stuart Grandy – University of New Hampshire

  Co-author: Amanda B. Daly – University of New Hampshire

  Co-author: Andrea Jilling – Oklahoma State University
• 4:15 PM – 4:30 PM PDT

  "Wait until tenure": overcoming structural barriers to intentional collaborations in soil biodiversity research
  

  Presenting Author: Marie Schaedel, PhD – University of Minnesota
• 4:30 PM – 4:45 PM PDT

  Moving toward a carbon sequestration approach that recognizes and enhances soil biodiversity
  

  Presenting Author: Zachary B. Freedman – University of Wisconsin-Madison

  Co-Author: Cole Gross – Postdoctoral Associate at Yale University; Adjunct Assistant Professor at State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry
• 4:45 PM – 5:00 PM PDT

  A global perspective on the advancement of soil biodiversity science
  

  Presenting Author: Diana H. Wall – Colorado State University