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J.M.Tiedjeet al.
Soil Teeming with Life
6
Soil Teeming with Life:
New Frontiers for Soil Science
J.M. T
IEDJE
1
, J.C. C
HO
1
, A. M
URRAY
1
, D. T
REVES
1
,
B. X
IA
1,3
AND
J. Z
HOU
1,2
1
Center for Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University, East
Lansing, Michigan;
2
Environmental Science Division, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA; and
3
Institute
of Environmental Science,ZhongshanUniversity, Guangzhou,
People's Republic of China
Introduction
Soil science in its sub-disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology and
taxonomy/genesis is a century old. Many of the basic principles have been
established and many practical questions answered. Some would argue that
the significant discoveries have been made, the work done and it is time to
move resources to emerging fields. In some respects, there is truth in
this argument, but at others it is short-sighted and lacking in vision. If we
restrict our questions and approaches to those of the past, the criticism
applies, but if we consider the challenges of understanding, managing and
harvesting the most complex biological community, then we have in our
hands one of the greatest opportunities in science.
Many see biology at the heart of the scientific enterprise of the next
century. We would agree with this projection, but we also see soil science as
an integral part of the biological research enterprise. This may mean that
some of our goals and the context of our research changes, but it does not
mean that knowledge from any of the soil science sub-disciplines is lacking
in importance. We are suggesting that soil biology can become at least one,
if not the major driver, for soil science research in the next century.
Important practical issues require soil biology knowledge. These
include understanding the role of soil processes in global warming and
strategies to ameliorate it; enhanced and safe recycling of waste from
manures, urban and industrial activity; pollutant destruction at waste
disposal sites as well as on landscapes contaminated from natural
processes; biological control of rhizosphere pests; enhanced groundwater
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