Conservation and sustainable management of soil biodiversity for agricultural productivity

Abstract

Soil biodiversity represents the variety of life belowground whose interaction with plants and small animals forms a web of biological activity. It improves the entry and storage of water, resistance to soil erosion, and plant nutrition, while also controlling soil pests and disease, and facilitating recycling of organic matter in the soil. Soil biodiversity is therefore the driver of healthy soil for sustainable crop production. However, intensive agricultural activities are reported to lead to loss of soil biodiversity. This has been attributed to environmental degradation, and consequently to climate change. This paper highlights the importance of soil biodiversity and some factors associated with its loss, and presents a case study on selected soil organisms in Kenya. Results from this study indicated that land use changes affect soil biodiversity, and soil biodiversity determines the distribution of the aboveground biodiversity.