Welcome to the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative

Seeking to promote expert knowledge on soil biodiversity in environmental policy and sustainable land management to protect and enhance ecosystem services

 
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Departure of GSBI Executive Director, Monica Farfan

Monica Farfan, Executive Director of the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative since 2020, will be leaving in September to take a position as the Science Policy Coordinator for the European Horizon project SOLO - Soils for Europe. Housed at iDiv - the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research at the University of Leipzig, she will be working with partners across the EU to translate information and priorities in soil health between partners, stakeholders, and the European Commission to assist in the development of soil health laws. During her time at the GSBI, Monica has overseen the development of the webinar series "GSBI Speaks!", organized sessions at national and international conferences, including the Ecological Society of America and Entomological Society of America Joint Meetings with Canadian counterparts in Vancouver and Montreal, and collaborated with international organizations and colleagues on policy statements and toward the success of the Third Global Soil Biodiversity Conference in Dublin.

Farewell and Good Luck, Monica!


DEADLINE EXTENDED

Statements of Intent to Bid for the Fourth Global Soil Biodiversity Conference in Spring 2026.

See the full call HERE.

Deadline: 15 September 2023 17:00 MDT|19:00 EDT|

16 September 1:00 CEST|9:00 AEST


World Biodiversity Day 2023

22 May, 2023

The Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative celebrated by highlighting the importance of soil biodiversity as a part of all biodiversity on Earth in video spotlights.


“GSBI Speaks”

The GSBI webinar series “GSBI Speaks” is returning in Fall of 2023. Look for Updates on our Webinars Page.

Catch up on previous webinars on the GSBI YouTube Channel

Mites: Grappling with a hyperdiverse taxon in soil with Valerie Behan-Pelletier.

Soil Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture with Gerlinde de Deyn, Stuart Grandy, and Sara Sanchez Moreno.

Soil Biodiversity and the Stabilisation of Carbon in the Soil with Gerrit Angst, Colin Averill, Kate Buckeridge, and Cynthia Kallenbach.



Major decision on Soil Biodiversity monitoring and protection adopted at COP-15 of Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) in Montreal, QC, December 2022

THE PLAN OF ACTION 2020-2030 FOR THE INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF SOIL BIODIVERSITY

 

 

Soil Biodiversity Science challenges and international policy are the highlight of a new paper in Science by Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative colleagues

Soil Biodiversity needs policy without borders

A new paper in the recent issue of Science by W. van der Putten, R. Bardgett, M. Farfan, L. Montanarella, J. Six, and D. Wall highlights the importance of soils and soil biodiversity science for soil health the challenges and promises of new regional and international policies for soil protection and sustainable management.

 

THE GLOBAL SOIL BIODIVERSITY INITIATIVE PARTNERS WITH SOIL BIODIVERSITY OBSERVATION NETWORK (SoilBON)

 
 

The first soil biodiversity assessment across the United States has begun in association with the global SoilBON.

 
 

See the SoilBON USA partners

See the global SoilBON network

 
 

 
 

Read the first-ever report on the State of Knowledge of Soil Biodiversity!

Produced in conjunction with the UN-FAO, ITPS, GSBI, SCBD, the European Commission (EC), and 300+ contributing-scientists, this report is the primary science and policy guiding-document in the world for connecting science to policy recommendations for the conservation and monitoring of soil biodiversity.

Citation: FAO, ITPS, GSBI, SCBD, and EC. 2020. State of knowledge of soil biodiversity - Status, challenges and potentialities, Report 2020. Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb1929en


 

The Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas

Soil biodiversity affects our environment and our wellbeing. Learn about soil organisms around the world in the Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas jointly published by the European Commission Joint Research Centre and the GSBI.

 

 
 

GET INVOLVED WITH GSBI!

 
 

Get updates on what the GSBI is up to and never miss an opportunity to participate in GSBI events and efforts.

Stay up-to-date with the work other GSBI members are doing or share some of your own work in the GSBI blog “Beneath Our Feet.”

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