MetaSoil: Assessing the effects of minimum tillage on soil biodiversity using metabarcoding

Soil health is closely linked to belowground biodiversity, which includes a vast array of microorganisms and fauna that drive essential soil ecosystem functions. These functions underpin critical ecosystem services through which healthy soils support agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability and resilience to climate change. Human activities such as intensive tillage significantly impact soil biodiversity as well as other crucial aspects of soil health. Reducing tillage is therefore a primary management strategy to promote soil health and biodiversity in order to foster sustainable and resilient crop production systems.

This project investigates the differences in functional biodiversity of soil communities in conventional tillage versus conservation tillage fields across Austria. Using environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, the study will characterize the diversity and functional composition of key taxonomic groups such as arthropods, annelids, nematodes, fungi, and bacteria. By linking eDNA-based biodiversity assessments to biological soil health indicators, the research seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of how tillage practices influence soil health.

Key objectives include: (1) assessing the status of soil biodiversity under different tillage practices, (2) linking soil biodiversity to functional groups that are important for soil ecosystem services in agriculture, while identifying soil characteristics and management regimes that support functional diversity (3) evaluating the feasibility of integrating eDNA-based monitoring as a practical tool in soil health assessments for various stakeholders and within citizen science frameworks.

By advancing molecular techniques that inform sustainable soil management strategies and fostering stakeholder engagement, this project aims to support agricultural practices that enhance soil health, biodiversity, and resilience, contributing to global efforts to address soil degradation and climate change challenges.

Project members: Michael Traugott (PI - AAE), Oskar Rennstam Rubbmark (Co-PI - AAE), Nadine Präg (Co-PI - Microbiology), Philippe Belliard (AAE)

This research is funded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).