By better understanding the complex codependent relationshipsbetween soils, soil organisms, and crops, scientists can better predict how an agricultural system will behave when the use of tillage, pesticides, and fertilizers is reduced. Soil Ecology in Sustainable Agricultural Systems demonstrates the considerable potential for the application of soil biological knowledge to the sound management of agroecosystems. Chapters 1-6 cover basic studies, with some focusing on the dual nature of roots and soil organic matter as sinks and sources of carbon and nutrients. Other studies focus on the effects of structure-following and structure-forming soil organisms on biochemical and biophysical processes. Chapter 7 takes a more holistic approach and ties basic knowledge together at the agroecosystem level and discusses developing biological management practices that optimize soil properties for sustained agricultural use.

In Soil Ecology in Sustainable Agricultural Systems, agronomists will find new research and applications for using the tools of ecology to understand the workings of an agricultural system, and environmentalists and ecologists will gain a better understanding of ecosystems that are created by both man and nature.