Soil Biodiversity in the City

March 30, 2022 - 8 am MDT, 10 am EDT, 4pm CEST

Moderated by Loren Byrne (Roger Williams University, USA)

Highly populated, developed areas, such as urban areas, have characteristics that can exacerbate detrimental effects of climate change on soil biodiversity such as, decreased albedo, sealed pavement, soil compaction, and propagation of non-native plant species. Managing urban landscapes for the maintenance of diverse microbial and faunal communities can reduce inputs, increase ecosystem services, and help meet the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Join moderator Loren Byrne, Roger Williams Univ, USA and panelists Katalin Szlavecz, Johns Hopkins Univ, USA, Jessica Davies, Lancaster Univ., UK, and Pedro Crous, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, The Netherlands, as they discuss their research on urban soil biodiversity and ecosystem services and how this research contributes to knowledge needed for land use in the future.