The Real Dirt on Restoration: Soils are more than minerals, air, water and decaying organic matter

摘要

Throughout the world, in widely varying ecosystems, removal of indigenous vegetation, topsoil removal, and severe soil disturbance such as mining, high intensity fire, and urbanization, has led to deterioration of the soil to support life. While this soil may still support some limited vegetation, the soil has been degraded by the loss of the native plant community and its invisible, underground components. Without the underground components the soil looses its ability to acquire mineral nutrients vital to plant growth, to absorb and hold water, to fend off disease, and to remain adhesive without being compacted. Which soil organisms are important to site recovery following disturbance? How do disturbance activities affect these populations? What are the rates of recovery? Can these beneficial organisms be "reinoculated" to improve restoration success?