CDFA has released a report on Belowground Biodiversity which provides targeted recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to enhance soil health and conserve biodiversity, which plays an important role in climate resilience and food production.
An advisory committee of soil scientists authored the report, led by Dr. Kate Scow, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Soil Science and Microbial Ecology at UC Davis: Dr. Eoin Brodie, Deputy Director of the Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; and Dr. Margaret Smither-Kopperl, Manager, Lockeford Plant Materials Center, United States (US) Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service..
“The State of California contains more than 2,500 types of soil – they host a wealth of life that makes vital contributions to the global food supply,” said Dr. Scow. “Improved understanding of belowground biodiversity is essential to achieving a carbon-neutral future and tackling climate change.”
The report provides recommendations including using soil biodiversity as a key metric for assessing and prioritizing soil health and multi-functionality, integrating a soil biodiversity assessment into CDFA's Healthy Soils Program, and developing an adaptive management framework that incorporates soil biodiversity assessment.
