Due to the reliance of soil biological community structure
and activity on the stability of abiotic and biotic soil properties,
any change in these conditions may precipitate a shift in
biodiversity. Climate change, land use change, pollution, invasive
species, and any factor contributing to soil degradation
can impact biodiversity. For example, agricultural dust has
been shown to be a vector carrying terrestrial microbes into
the ocean that are pathogenic to marine organisms, affecting
ecological niches such as coral reefs and fish (Garrison et al.,
2003). In recent years soil scientists have made enormous
progress toward understanding soil organisms and their roles
in ecosystems. Nonetheless, much remains to be discovered
to allow the development of practices that will promote the
sustainable use of soils. Understanding what causes changes
in the belowground biodiversity and how diversity is linked
to soil function, as well as how it influences aboveground diversity,
would contribute to sustainability and restoration of
ecosystems.