Soil: The Foundation for Ecological Connectivity of Forest Ecosystems

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200212630

Soil, ranking third in importance after air and water for supporting life on land, provides habitat, nutrients, water, and a physical foundation for plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. Thus, forest ecosystems, like all land-based ecosystems, are entirely dependent on soil for their existence. Consequently, soil health is critical to ecosystem connectivity, since without healthy soils, there are no healthy ecosystems or species to connect with one another. Therefore, a foundational knowledge of soil properties, its formation, and its role in shaping forest ecosystems is essential to comprehending the concept of forest ecosystem connectivity. Soil is formed by the weathering of Earth’s rocky surface and reflects past climates, geology, and vegetation. By studying soil, we can learn about previous environmental conditions and predict which plants may grow on it now and in the future. Soil not only supports plants but is teeming with complex assemblages of diverse and abundant life. A handful of healthy forest soil can contain as many individual organisms as all the people on Earth. Plants play three pivotal roles in impacting soil properties, by shaping its physical structure, chemical composition, and the habitats it provides for other organisms. However, not only plants but all terrestrial organisms, from tiny microbes to larger animals, influence soil structure and function. Through burrowing, bioturbation, and microbial activity, soil organisms help shape the complex structure of soil, optimising it for their own needs. This chapter aims to describe the most important properties, services, and interactions of soil within forest ecosystems, underscoring its importance in maintaining forest health and connectivity.