Researchers from the Swiss Federal Department of Agriculture have highlighted a striking fact about life on Earth: soil is home to the majority of living organisms. In their assessment, up to 59% plus or minus 15% of all Earthly organisms may reside in soil, a figure drawn from a synthesis of multiple surveys and documented in a study released through Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). This finding reframes our understanding of biodiversity by placing soil at the center of planetary ecosystems rather than viewing it as a mere substrate for aboveground life. The report underscores how soil biology forms the foundation for broader ecological processes and human well being, linking microbial diversity in soil to many environmental outcomes that touch climate, food systems, and health.
The researchers reexamined prior work on Earth’s biodiversity to quantify how much life is rooted in soil. Their calculations indicate that about 88% of bacteria, 85% of plants, and 90% of fungi are associated with soil environments. When considering the animal kingdom, more than 6,500 mammal species show only a small fraction that spends substantial time underground, with roughly 4% occupying subterranean niches. This expanded perspective on which organisms rely on soil highlights the critical role soil ecosystems play in sustaining nutrient cycles, disease suppression, and plant productivity. The analysis also suggests that the soil layer acts as a living archive, recording evolutionary histories and ecological interactions that influence regional and global biodiversity.
The latest biodiversity estimate is roughly double what earlier assessments suggested, signaling a substantial undercount of soil life in previous science. Scientists caution that the total could be even larger because certain organisms, particularly many viruses that inhabit soil, may have escaped inclusion in standard accounting. This potential underestimation means soil biodiversity may be far richer and more dynamic than previously recognized, with implications for how researchers model ecosystem resilience and responses to environmental change.
Authors note that soil organisms exert a powerful influence on key planetary balances. Their work indicates direct links between soil biology and climate dynamics, the stability of global food systems, and even aspects of human health, from nutrient availability to disease resistance. By illuminating the scale and scope of living soil, the researchers aim to draw attention to the need for robust soil management and conservation strategies that support agricultural productivity while preserving ecological integrity.
The scientists express optimism about a coordinated research program that would dig deeper into the bowels of the Earth. They believe there are numerous species and ecological interactions yet to be discovered that could reshape our understanding of soil processes and their connections to aboveground ecosystems. Ongoing studies are expected to reveal new microbial lineages, symbioses, and metabolic pathways that enable soils to sequester carbon, recycle nutrients, and sustain crop yields under changing climatic conditions. Such discoveries may also shed light on novel bioindicators for soil health and resilience that policymakers and farmers can use in practice.
In related explorations, researchers have previously ventured to the deep ocean to document ecosystems that were unknown before, illustrating that life can thrive in extreme environments far from the light of day. These deep-sea investigations complement soil-focused work by expanding the scope of our understanding of how life adapts to challenging habitats and how ecosystems function at the limits of habitability. Together, terrestrial soil studies and deep-sea research contribute a broader picture of global biodiversity and the interconnectedness of life on Earth.
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