This report brings together the most current knowledge of soil life and how it supports nature and humanity. More than 300 scientists contributed to the report, which provides an overview of soil biodiversity, its contribution to supporting ecosystems and communities, global and regional trends, and ways to protect soil biodiversity and leverage it for a sustainable future. The key messages from the report are:
- Soil organisms help produce food, purify soil and water, and preserve human health and well-being.
- Soil biodiversity can be leveraged to improve agricultural production and reclaim degraded soils.
- New scientific analysis have expanded research to include whole communities and are leading to new approaches to address food security and environmental protection.
- Soil biodiversity is threatened by soil degradation. Reducing and reversing soil degradation is important to protect belowground (and aboveground) biodiversity.
