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MICROSCOPIC TOOLS USE TO ASSES THE SOIL BIODIVERSITY PROVIDING ECOSYSTEM SERVICE

Daniela Răducu

Abstract

Soil science literature divided the soil biodiversity into ?three broad functional groups called chemical engineers, biological regulators and ecosystem engineers.? The paper pointed out (by the aim of the microscopic tools) the main ecosystem services provided by the biodiversity of (micro) organisms living into the soil at the organic-inorganic interface, where they built a favorable environment for themselves, the crop roots, and the entire ecosystem. The studied sites are located into different pedolandscapes and consequently climatic conditions, to better understanding the activity of the biodiversity as soils main providers of ecosystem services. During the field pedological investigation, the landscapes and the soil characteristics had been described, and the soils samples were collected for physical, chemical, microbiological, and micromorphological analyses according to the current standardized methodology. The qualitative and quantitative investigation by the aim of the microscopic tools (optical and SEM-EDAX microscopes) were also made. The results showed that ?chemical engineers? (microorganisms) were responsible with the decomposition of organic and inorganic (weathering) substrates, releasing in soil nutrients and providing one of the essential ecosystem services like regulation of the nutrients and their uptake. The ?biological regulators? (mesofauna - small invertebrates, etc.) strongly influenced the decomposition of organic and inorganic (weathering) substrate, consumed macrofauna biological pedofeatures and created small porous space. The ?ecosystem engineers? (macrofauna - earthworms, etc.) besides having built pore system and aggregates, they buried deep into the soil (bioturbation) biological pedofeatures rich in humic organic matter (brought from the top horizons) and created a high-quality environment, particularly beneficial during the hotter summer of the present changed climate. All above mentioned are more obvious into the moderate salty soil, where the intake of the humic material free of salts improved both environmental quality and soil fertility of the deeper horizons and allowed to crop roots to explore a higher soil volume. Through their cooperation and hierarchical work, soil biodiversity provides ecosystem services for the soil and further for the entire pedolandscape.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2019/3.2/s13.040

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