Genomic sciences, soil biodiversity and landscape: interactions for sustainability

Abstract

The traditional sub-disciplines of soil science; physics, chemistry, biology, taxonomy and mineralogy have largely contributed to the establishment of the basic principles of this science and have responded numerous practical questions. Currently, they have refocused their objects of study into emerging areas in order to understand, manage and use in a better way the most complex biological community on the planet. In particular, soil biology is seen as the center of scientific research of this century, presenting novel targets and goals in their research, strongly supported by physical, chemical and taxonomic studies. In the life-sciences, genomics are applied to the study of living systems in the soil, doing an enormous progress in the understanding of these ecosystems. The characterization of various organisms in soil, especially newly discovered microorganisms, represent only the beginning of a new stage in the development of molecular soil microbiology to enable and ensure a sustainable management of the soil resource. The challenge for these disciplines is to identify communities of microorganisms and, the roles they play in their habitats that integrate the diverse landscapes on Earth. Genomics and meta-genomics, along with traditional microbiological techniques are much contributing to advances in the understanding of biodiversity that exists in the soil as a base to ensure the sustainability of the soil and landscape.