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SSS4.8 | Embracing the role of soil fauna in biogeochemical cycling
EDI
Embracing the role of soil fauna in biogeochemical cycling
Convener: Gerrit AngstECSECS | Co-conveners: Alix VidalECSECS, Tullia CalogiuriECSECS, Julia Seeber, Nico Eisenhauer
Soil is the habitat for a myriad of organisms. These include soil fauna who are crucial in providing soil related ecosystem services, often through their interaction with microorganisms and plants. Soil fauna encompass a wide diversity of organisms including protozoa, nematodes, enchytraeids, microarthropods, as well as large invertebrates (e.g., earthworms, beetles). Variation in soil properties and climate result in a heterogeneous distribution of soil fauna across the globe. Soil fauna substantially affect litter decomposition and soil organic matter formation, and are key agents in soil structure formation. Their activity can result in the production of decomposition by-products which are still poorly chemically and physically characterized, despite the fact that they are a springboard for soil organic matter formation as well as a potential source of nutrients. Soil fauna therefore have a central role in soil biogeochemical cycling.

In this session, we welcome contributions on a wide range of topics related to the effect of soil fauna on biogeochemical cycling (e.g., organic carbon storage, nutrient availability, gas emissions) in interaction with soil properties (e.g., aggregation, bioturbation, biopores, weathering). We call for studies on the effect of soil fauna on litter decomposition and the analyses of the decomposition by-products, as well as studies that tackle the interactions between soil fauna, plants, and microorganisms. We are especially interested in studies that provide mechanistic (rather than stochastic) links between faunal activity and ecosystem services. Studies can cover various scales (from microscale to landscape) and approaches using physical fractionation, molecular methods (e.g., amino sugars, lipids, PLFAs, DNA), and imaging (e.g., SEM, TEM, nanoSIMS, µCT), spectroscopic and/or isotopic techniques. We also encourage contributions investigating the changing role of soil fauna under climate, land use, and land cover changes