Feeding the Soil, Not Just the Plant: A Conversation with Darina Štyriaková on the Future of Sustainable Agriculture
Agriculture is increasingly being asked to do more with less: maintain productivity, adapt to climate pressures, reduce dependence on synthetic inputs, and protect the natural resources on which food production ultimately depends. At the center of this challenge lies an ecosystem that is easy to overlook because most of its activity happens beneath our feet: soil.
For Darina Štyriaková,...
Mediterranean Soils Under a Changing Climate. The Second BIOservicES Sampling Campaign
The Mediterranean region provides an important setting for studying how soils respond to increasingly dry and warm conditions. Naturally dry soils, low organic matter, and sparse vegetation leave these landscapes particularly vulnerable to erosion, warming, and prolonged drought.
To see how these delicate drylands cope under increasing stress, BIOservicES partners with the Spanish National...
Soil Sampling in the Alpine Region. Returning to Trin
The Alpine landscape provides a unique setting for studying soil biodiversity. Steep mountain slopes, deep valley soils, and varying altitudes create diverse habitats, while a humid Alpine climate, characterized by cool summers, freezing winters, and frequent rainfall, shapes life above and below ground.
To investigate how these ecosystems respond to climate stress, the BIOservicES...
Soil Sampling in the Atlantic Region. Returning to Galicia’s Soils
Galicia, in northwestern Spain, offers a rich backdrop for studying soil health. Characterized by a mild, rainy Atlantic climate, the region features a mix of forests, farmland, vineyards, and wetlands shaped by varying levels of human activity.
To understand how these ecosystems cope with ongoing environmental pressures, BIOservicES partner the University of Vigo, is leading...
Soil Biodiversity: Meso and Macro Fauna Webinar | Insights and Takeaways
This Soil Community webinar brought together experts from leading EU projects and institutions to explore a central question:
How does soil fauna contribute to soil health, and how can it be effectively monitored and integrated into biodiversity assessment frameworks?
From microscopic mesofauna to ecosystem-engineering earthworms, the session highlighted the complexity of soil life, the...
The Invisible Climate Infrastructure: A Dialogue with Azadeh Farajpour About the Future of Soil and Food Security
In major global debates about climate change, public attention is directed almost exclusively toward renewable energy, emission reductions, and green technologies. We see solar panels, wind turbines, and climate policies discussed at the international level. Yet one of the most important resources for the planet’s future remains almost invisible: soil.
Given that beneath our feet...
Soil Biodiversity: Microorganisms Webinar | Insights and Takeaways
Soil life is far more complex than what we see with our eyes. Beneath every field, forest, and grassland lies a dynamic microbial world that drives nutrient cycling, plant growth, carbon storage, and ecosystem resilience.
In the latest webinar hosted on the Soil Community Platform, experts from leading European institutions explored how we measure, interpret, and monitor soil...
Benefits of carbon-rich soils
When soils are rich in carbon, they behave differently; they hold together better, breathe better, and support more life. Imagine two neighbouring fields after weeks of drought, followed by a sudden downpour: in one, crops wilt, and muddy water rushes off the surface; in the other, the soil soaks up the rain as a sponge and plants recover more quickly. More often than not, the difference lies...
Ecosystem services, nature’s priceless value. BIOservicES project perspective
Nature is a complex and interconnected network of life that supports us, encompassing habitats from large-scale ecosystems like dense forests and vast oceans to microscopic environments such as soil aggregates. It provides the essential resources and conditions necessary for all living organisms to flourish, offering us at the same time beauty, inspiration, and vital resources. As humans, we...
’Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services’ Webinar | Insights & Takeaways
Economic valuation of ecosystem services is the process of measuring the monetary value of the benefits that ecosystems provide to people. These benefits include tangible goods such as food, water purification, and flood protection (provisioning and regulating services), as well as less tangible outcomes like recreational enjoyment, aesthetic appreciation, and cultural or spiritual...