Soil sustains the potential for human life: 95% of global food production relies on it, it is home to more than half of the world’s species, and it stores more carbon than all vegetation on Earth.

As we rely so heavily on soil, understanding and protecting it is not simply a scientific challenge, but a major opportunity to build a more sustainable future.

Exploring the Field pieces examine current and emerging research that is reshaping scientific fields and driving new approaches to the challenges we face. In this edition, we explore how advances in Soil Science are expanding our understanding of the complex relationships between organisms, soils and plants, and how this research could help shape more sustainable approaches to agriculture.

What is soil science?

Soil science explores how soils form, what they’re made of, and how their physical, chemical, and biological properties shape their fertility and influence how they are managed.

The field is inherently interdisciplinary. Advances across a wide range of scientific fields have deepened our understanding of soil and why its health matters. Together, these perspectives enable soil scientists to tackle global challenges such as food production, environmental sustainability, and climate change.

The importance of soil science

Soils are the basis for life on Earth. They anchor plants, are home to vast communities of organisms, and drive the recycling of nutrients that sustain ecosystems. Beneath the surface, they also act as major reservoirs of carbon in the form of organic matter, highlighting their critical role in regulating the climate.

Healthy soil naturally filters water, improving quality, while its structure and ability to hold moisture influence drainage and flood control.

The core aim of soil science is to understand how soils function in order to use and protect them effectively, both now and in the future. By understanding how physical, chemical, and biological processes interact within soil, this field provides the knowledge needed to manage land sustainably and protect the systems that life depends on.

Challenges facing soil health

The deterioration of the overall condition of soils is a growing concern globally. Natural factors, such as drought, can cause damage; however, human activity has altered more than 70% of Earth’s land. Unsustainable farming practices have left us in a situation where a third of the world’s soils are considered degraded or infertile.

Despite this, these trends can be reversed. Ongoing research is improving our understanding of soil systems, enabling policy makers, scientists, and farmers to work together to develop and implement more sustainable land management practices.

Trending research in soil science

Addressing the challenges associated with soil science requires deeper insight into how soils function. This growing body of research is focused on understanding, protecting, and restoring soil systems.

This research spans the microscopic communities living within soil, the relationships between plants and fungi, and the development of biological approaches to improve soil health and agricultural productivity.

Life underground: the importance of the soil microbiome on soil health

Soil is home to one of the most complex and diverse ecosystems on Earth. Beneath our feet, vast communities of bacteria, fungi, archaea, viruses, and protists drive processes that are essential for nutrient cycling, soil structure, plant health, and ecosystem function.

These microscopic communities quietly support plant growth and help regulate the cycling of essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. They also contribute to the formation of stable soil structures, which support water retention and create favourable conditions for plant roots and other soil organisms.

Understanding how these underground communities function is essential for protecting soil health and developing more sustainable approaches to agriculture. Click here to learn more about The Importance of the Soil Microbiome on Soil Health and explore how soil microbes drive nutrient cycling, shape soil structure, and respond to modern farming practices.

Into the rhizosphere: the hidden symbiosis of fungi and plant roots

Beneath plant roots lies a vast network of fungal life that plays an important role in plant growth and soil health. Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships with the roots of most land plants, helping them access nutrients and water in exchange for carbon produced through photosynthesis.

These interactions are particularly important in the rhizosphere, the thin layer of soil surrounding plant roots where plants, fungi, and other microbes constantly interact. By extending beyond the reach of plant roots, fungal networks can improve nutrient uptake, support plant growth, and help plants withstand environmental stresses such as drought.

Click here to learn more about The Hidden Symbiosis of Fungi and Plant Roots, and explore the complex relationships between plants and mycorrhizal fungi, from nutrient exchange and plant defence to the wider ecological networks that connect plants beneath the soil.

Engineering the underground: how microbial inoculants provide sustainable agriculture alternatives

Understanding the complex microbial communities beneath our feet is an important step towards developing more sustainable approaches to agriculture. While soil microbes naturally support nutrient cycling, plant growth, and soil health, researchers are now exploring how these functions can be harnessed to reduce reliance on chemical inputs.

Microbial inoculants introduce beneficial microorganisms into the soil to improve nutrient availability, support plant growth, and help crops withstand environmental stresses such as drought. Research is also exploring how combinations of microbes can be designed to deliver more consistent benefits under different soil and environmental conditions.

Click here to learn more about How Microbial Inoculants Provide Sustainable Agriculture Alternatives and explore how advances in soil microbiology are turning our understanding of underground ecosystems into potential tools for sustainable agriculture, from phosphate-solubilising microorganisms to engineered microbial communities.

Explore soil science further

If you’re interested in learning more about soil science or contributing research in this field, you can view the portfolio of MDPI journals covering Environmental and Earth sciences.

Alternatively, the full journal list is here.