This paper started with a reference to the Draft Soil Framework
Directive (SFD) of the European Union (EU (European Union),
2006a,b) in which was stated that “there is not enough scientific
knowledge or data across Europe using standardized methodologies
to justify specific protection measures for soil biodiversity”.
Consequently, soil biodiversity was not covered in this Draft which
– due to various other reasons – was withdrawn in 2014. Almost
ten years later the status of soil biodiversity has certainly improved
as has been shown in this paper:
- In various legal documents of the European Union, but also
individual member states. Soil biodiversity has been included as
a protection goal.
- Further legal areas (e.g., the retrospective risk assessment of
soils at potentially contaminated sites) have been identified in
which soil biodiversity monitoring could be an important tool.
- Standardized methods for soil biodiversity monitoring (e.g.,
sampling methods) have internationally been validated and are
easy to use.
- Determination and identification of soil organisms is currently
becoming easier, mainly because in addition to traditional
morphological methods DNA-based approaches are available.
- Data on soil microorganisms and invertebrates are collected in
several European countries, improving data availability and
evaluation considerably.
- Despite this huge progress it should not be forgotten that the
diversity of soil organisms is still not well-known in all of
Europe—“white spots” still do exist especially for the micro- and
meso-fauna.
- Finally, many links and interactions between soil biodiversity
and soil functions (including the influence of soil properties and
climate factors) are not well understood.