The Biology of Soil

A community and ecosystem approach

Richard D. Bardgett

Biology of Habitats Series

Winner of The Marsh Ecology Book of the Year Award 2005
An up-to-date, comprehensive overview of the causes and consequences of biodiversity in soil, providing an accessible and authoritative summary of the field of soil ecology
Provides unique combination of information on the biology of soil biota and their roles in ecosystems at different spatial and temporal scales, inlcuding wider ecological issues such as biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and global change
Global case studies illustrate the importance of biotic interactions in soil for properties of different ecosystems, placing soil ecology in the context of real world issues in terrestrial community and ecosystem ecology
Boxes throughout the text give background information on important soil biological properties and processes, facilitating student tuition

The Biology of Soil

A community and ecosystem approach

Richard D. Bardgett

Preface and acknowledgements
1: The soil environment
2: The diversity of life in soil
3: Organism interactions and soil processes
4: Linkages between plant and soil biological communities
5: Above-ground trophic interactions and soil biological communities
6: Soil biological properties and global change
7: Conclusions
Bibliography
Index

The Biology of Soil

A community and ecosystem approach

Richard D. Bardgett

Biology of Habitats Series

Author Information

Richard D. Bardgett, Institute of Environmental and Natural Sciences, University of Lancaster, UK

Link to Richard Bardgett's home page

The Biology of Soil

A community and ecosystem approach

Richard D. Bardgett

Biology of Habitats Series

Reviews and Awards

Winner of The Marsh Ecology Book of the Year Award 2006

"Our understanding of how soils function is rapidly growing and this small, easily read book will bring everyone up to date, backed up by an impressive bibliography...as an introductory text it is excellent. Peter Thomas, Bulletin of the British Ecological Society 2006, 37:2"

"It is very well written and illustrated, and its unique approach and breadth of coverage separates it from typical soil microbiology textbooks. This volume deserves a place on the bookshelves of all soil scientists and soil ecologists." - Clive A Edwards, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol 82 June 2007

"...this book has immense potential as a core key teaching resource for instructing ecology students about the importance of soils and aboveground-belowground feedbacks. In addition to recommending this as a teaching text, I strongly recmmend The Biology of Soils to any ecologist who does not actively work in soils and wants to learn more about their fascinating ecology" - Trends in Ecology and Evolution