Applied Soil Ecology addresses the role of soil organisms and their interactions in relation to: agricultural productivity, nutrient cycling and other soil processes, the maintenance of soil structure, sustainability and fertility, the impact of human activities and xenobiotics on soil biota and bio(techno)logical control of soil-inhabiting pests and diseases. Overall, the journal considers studies dealing with the involvement of soil organisms in soil health, soil fertility and sustainability, both in human-managed (i.e. agricultural, forestry systems) and (semi)natural environments. Studies focused predominantly on plant responses without sufficient focus in soil organisms, as mentioned above, are usually not considered in Applied Soil Ecology.
The disciplines covered include the following, and preference will be given to articles which are interdisciplinary and integrate two or more of these disciplines:
• soil microbiology and microbial ecology
• soil invertebrate zoology and ecology
• root and rhizosphere ecology
• soil science
• soil biotechnology
• ecotoxicology
• nematology
• entomology
• plant pathology
• agronomy and sustainable agriculture
• nutrient cycling
• ecosystem modelling and food webs
Pedobiologia (Journal of Soil Ecology) publishes peer reviewed articles describing original work in the field of soil ecology, which includes the study of soil organisms and their interactions with factors in their biotic and abiotic environments. Analysis of biological structures, interactions, functions, and processes in soil is fundamental for understanding the dynamical nature of terrestrial ecosystems, a prerequisite for appropriate soil management.The scope of this journal consists of fundamental and applied aspects of soil ecology; key focal points include interactions among organisms in soil, organismal controls on soil processes, causes and consequences of soil biodiversity, and aboveground-belowgro... interactions.The journal publishes:original research that tests clearly defined hypotheses addressing topics of current interest in soil ecology (including studies demonstrating nonsignificant effects);description... of novel methodological approaches, or evaluations of current approaches, that address a clear need in soil ecology research;innovative syntheses of the soil ecology literature, including metaanalyses, topical in depth reviews and short opinion/perspective pieces, and descriptions of original conceptual frameworks; andshort notes reporting novel observations of ecological significance.
