Description
This book investigates soil ecology and biodiversity for its ability to maintain a balance of beneficial organisms to support plant growth. This subject is discussed by a group of international authors in natural, agricultural and urban systems. The importance of biodiversity per se and, specifically, the feedbacks between the plant and soil biota in mediating soil function are emphasized. Examples are selected from allelopathy and invasive plant species along with the, hitherto overlooked, role of viruses in soil. The book is intended to provide a framework for a holistic understanding of the essential role of soil organisms in promoting plant growth.
Table of Contents
Preface.- 1. Introduction: Soils and Their Promotion of Plant Growth; J. Dighton.- 2. Soils supporting Biodiversity; E. Havlicek, E. Mitchell.- 3. Beneficial Interactions in the Rhizosphere; W. H. G. Hol et al.- 4. Trophic Interactions in Soil that Support Primary Production; J. Krumins.- 5. Soils Suppressing Biodiversity; G. Pérès.- 6. Root Pathogens; A. Termorshuizen.- 7. Non-Trophic Interactions: Allelopathy; P. Pavlović et al.- 8. Viruses in Soil; B. Reavy et al.- 9. Soils Suppressing and Promoting Non-native Plant Invasions; K. Elgersma.- 10. Urban Soils and the Challenge of Restoring Natural Ecosystems; P.A. Hazelton, A. Clements.- 11. Towards a Holistic Approach to Soils and Plant Growth; D. C. Coleman, S. Fu.- Index.
