The role of soil fauna in soil health and delivery of ecosystem services

Publication date: 06/08/2018
Extent: 46 pages

Contributions by: George G. Brown, Elodie da Silva and Marcílio J. Thomazini, Embrapa Forestry, Brazil; Cíntia C. Niva, Embrapa Cerrados, Brazil; Thibaud Decaëns, Université de Montpellier, France; Luís F. N. Cunha, Cardiff University, UK; Herlon S. Nadolny, Wilian C. Demetrio, Alessandra Santos, Talita Ferreira, Lilianne S. Maia, Ana Caroline Conrado, Rodrigo F. Segalla and Alexandre Casadei Ferreira, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil; Amarildo Pasini, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Brazil; Marie L. C. Bartz and Klaus D. Sautter, Universidade Positivo, Brazil; Samuel W. James, Maharishi University of Management, USA; Dilmar Baretta, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Brazil; Zaida Inês Antoniolli, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Brazil; Maria Jesus Iglesias Briones, Universidad de Vigo, Spain; José Paulo Sousa, University of Coimbra, Portugal; Jörg Römbke, ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Germany; and Patrick Lavelle, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, France

Chapter synopsis: Soil fauna includes microscopic organisms such as nematodes (microfauna), mites and springtails (mesofauna), up to larger invertebrates such as worms, spiders, ants, termites and beetles (macrofauna) and vertebrates (megafauna) such as amphibians, reptiles and mammals. This chapter explains how their activity is important for soil health and can result in various ecosystem services, including provision of food and primary production, nutrient cycling and organic matter dynamics, water availability in soil, gas exchanges, soil formation, pollination and seed dispersal. The chapter classifies soil fauna and reviews currently available information on soil fauna biodiversity and functional roles worldwide, their role in soil health and the importance of management in determining soil fauna communities.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2017.0033.11