Published in Scientific Papers. Series A. Agronomy, Vol. LXVII, Issue 1
Written by Luiza Silvia CHIRIAC (MIHAI), Dumitru T. MURARIU
It is known that biological diversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources'. It includes diversity within species (genetic diversity), between species (organic diversity) and ecosystems (ecological diversity). Based on scientific literature screening we learned that the link between the functioning of an ecosystem and its biodiversity is a substantial scientific challenge. The present paper highlight that this challenge is more pronounced in soil. Soil is a significant reservoir of biological diversity that supports a wide range of key processes and provides a multitude of ecosystem services. Microorganisms and microfauna (protozoa and nematodes) in the soil are responsible for transforming organic and inorganic compounds into forms that are easily accessible to plants and other organisms through processes such as organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling. Mesofauna are essential in the food web, increasing the availability of energy and nutrients, especially nitrogen. Soil macrofauna and megafauna are known as ecosystem engineers; they alter soil porosity, water, and gas transport, and bind soil particles, which reduces soil erosion.
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