Translating Soil Biodiversity
Project overview
Translating Soil Biodiversity is a science communication and transfer project that makes knowledge about soil biodiversity accessible to children and young people worldwide. At its centre is a collection of articles jointly compiled by scientists and young reviewers from all over the world. The aim is to share the enthusiasm for the diversity of life in the soil and to show that soils are not just rock and dust, but living systems full of organisms.
The collection introduces the world of soil organisms, presents methods and techniques used by scientists to study the life beneath our feet and shows why soil biodiversity is of central importance for healthy soils and therefore also for us. At the same time, the project makes it clear that soil organisms and their functions are exposed to a variety of threats and must be protected.
In order to make the content accessible to as many people as possible, a website has also been set up that provides translations into languages other than English.
Content and structure of the collection
The collection of articles is divided into several thematic sections.
Soils are alive
The first section shows that soils are amazingly living systems. It presents well-known soil organisms such as earthworms, but also lesser-known groups such as springtails, mites, bacteria, fungi and protists. In this way, it becomes clear how diverse life in the soil is and how closely it remains connected to our environment.
How can we observe this beautiful world under our feet?
Another focus is on the methods used by scientists to observe and understand soil biodiversity. Soils are often referred to as a "black box" because many processes and organisms are difficult to see. The articles therefore show how researchers use different tools and approaches to analyse and identify soil organisms and record their interactions.
Why is soil biodiversity so essential to us?
The collection also makes it clear that soil biodiversity maintains processes that are essential for our well-being and the functioning of ecosystems. These include, for example, protecting plants from disease, decomposing organic matter, releasing nutrients and controlling processes related to carbon dioxide and methane emissions.
Soil communities are changing
Another section shows that soil communities change over time - through natural processes, but also through human influences. Among other things, agricultural use and the effects of climate change, such as changes in precipitation, are discussed. The articles make it clear that such changes influence soil organisms, their functions and the services they provide.
Protecting soil biodiversity
The last part is about how soil biodiversity can be protected and preserved. The collection shows that we can reduce our negative influences and maintain or even restore soil functions - for example on the basis of a better understanding of soil organisms and their functions. At the same time, the project invites people to become active themselves, for example as part of citizen science.
Aim of the project
The project aims to communicate knowledge about soil biodiversity in a way that is understandable, accessible and internationally relevant. It aims to visualise the beauty and importance of life in the soil, raise awareness of the threats to it and encourage people to actively engage with this ecosystem and contribute to its protection.
Importance for science communication and transfer
Translating Soil Biodiversity combines research, education and transfer in a special way. Instead of being aimed exclusively at a specialised audience, the project makes soil ecology content accessible to a young and international audience. The translations into different languages further extend this reach and support the goal of making soil biodiversity more visible worldwide.
Project information
| PI: | Prof. Dr Malte Jochum |
| Subject: | SciComm |
| Study site: | NA |
| Funding: | Werner and Inge Grüter Prize for Science Communication 2025 (€15,000), Transfer Prize, Leipzig University 2025 (€7,500) |
| Duration: | since 2020 |
| Collaborators: | Elisabeth Bönisch, Romy Zeiss, Remy Beugnon, Helen Phillips, et al. |
| Staff: | NA |
| Links: | English Originals Translations |
