Linking Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function: The Taxonomic Dilemma

Soil is fundamental to agriculture and forestry, water purification, and biogeochemical cycling, and it is the basis for civilization. Nevertheless, soils are one of the least understood habitats on Earth, while also being among the most biologically diverse. In one handful of rich organic soil there can be millions of organisms representing hundreds of different species, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae, nematodes, annelids, and approximately 20 different lineages of Arthropoda, the most diverse phylum of living organisms