A new report led by Conservation International and IUCN, published today in Oryx, warns that over 40% of more than 8,500 soil‑dependent species are at risk of extinction or Data‑Deficient on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.
Soil is central to human survival. Ninety‑five percent of the food humans consume depends on it, and healthy soil could store up to 27% of the carbon needed to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius. Yet despite its importance, many of the species that keep soil healthy are now at risk.
"Soil sustains many of the most essential parts of human life, yet we still have not sufficiently studied the thousands of species within it" said Neil Cox, Manager of the Biodiversity Assessment Unit, a joint initiative of Conservation International and IUCN. "This study draws attention to the dire state of many soil‑dependent species, and we hope its publication spurs the increased focus and funding needed to understand how to conserve these species."
Key findings:
- This study highlights the troubling reality that 20% of assessed soil species (at least 1,758 species) are at risk of extinction, according to the IUCN Red List
- The study also found that we lack sufficient data to determine the status of another 20% (1,722) of these assessed species
- Soil is home to about 59% of Earth's species, yet there remains a major gap between the importance of these thousands of soil‑dependent organisms and what we know about them
- Soil biodiversity is underrepresented on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the most comprehensive information source concerning the global extinction risk of species
The knowledge gap around soil biodiversity poses a threat to one of Earth's most vital resources. To urgently address it, the study recommends:
- The establishment of an IUCN SSC Soil Biota Working Group to elevate and coordinate action on soil biodiversity
- That ties be strengthened between regional and global organizations working on soil biodiversity management
- More effective knowledge-sharing between IUCN, governments, landholders, and the public on the importance of soil conservation
Without these species, we risk further degradation of the earth's soil, which is vital to global agricultural production. Soil health underpins food systems worldwide, and the threat of soil degradation must be taken seriously for the sake of people, animals and the planet as a whole.
"The IUCN Red List is a vital tool for understanding the health of global biodiversity, yet most soil species remain understudied or unlisted," said Dr. Gregory Mueller, author on the paper and Chair of the IUCN SSC Fungal Conservation Committee, whose members contributed to the paper. "Soil species shape so many parts of life on this planet – for example, fungi enable plants to take in nutrients and make decomposition possible, underpinning ecosystems. It is crucial that we give all soil species the attention they deserve and work to better understand and protect them."
"Invertebrates are critical to soil health, with their roles in nutrient cycling and improving soil structure. With healthy biodiversity at the foundation of our agricultural systems, building systems to conserve these species is essential for food security," said Dr. Axel Hochkirch, Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Invertebrate Conservation Committee.
For more about Conservation International's work on soil conservation:
- To stop climate catastrophe, look to soil: study : A groundbreaking new study reports that the secret to making this possible lies in the soil — or more specifically, in the carbon stored in the soil.
- New science: Protecting the planet's biodiversity — from soil to coral : Compiling more than 11,000 soil samples and satellite imagery, researchers found that the total carbon stored in South Africa's soils has increased by 0.3 percent over the past 30 years.
- Underfoot and under threat: Climate change hurts soil's 'essential workers' : Whether you know it or not, thousands of species of mites and springtails are scurrying about the soil like tiny essential workers.
Learn more about IUCN's work on adding soil species to the IUCN Red List and its Conserving Healthy Soils Issues Brief .
