Identifying potential threats to soil biodiversity.

A decline in soil biodiversity is generally considered to be the reduction of forms of life living in soils, both in terms of quantity and variety. Where soil biodiversity decline occurs, it can significantly affect the soils' ability to function, respond to perturbations and recover from a disturbance. Several soil threats have been identified as having negative effects on soil biodiversity, including human intensive exploitation, land-use change and soil organic matter decline.

Options for Improved Phosphorus Cycling and Use in Agriculture at the Field and Regional Scales.

Soil phosphorus (P) cycling in agroecosystems is highly complex, with many chemical, physical, and biological processes affecting the availability of P to plants. Traditionally, P fertilizer recommendations have been made using an insurance-based approach, which has resulted in the accumulation of P in many intensively managed agricultural soils worldwide and contributed to the widespread water quality issue of eutrophication. To mitigate further environmental degradation and because future P fertilizer supplies are threatened due to finite phosphate rock resources and associated geopolitical and quality issues, there is an immediate need to increase P use efficiency (PUE) in agroecosystems.

Identification of extracellular glycerophosphodiesterases in Pseudomonas and their role in soil organic phosphorus remineralisation.

In soils, phosphorus (P) exists in numerous organic and inorganic forms. However, plants can only acquire inorganic orthophosphate (Pi), meaning global crop production is frequently limited by P availability. To overcome this problem, rock phosphate fertilisers are heavily applied, often with negative environmental and socio-economic consequences.