The role of soil biodiversity in sustainable dryland farming systems

A major consequence of modern agricultural development has been environmental degradation. As biodiversity is reduced due to specific crop fields, soils then lose much of their biota. Organisms such as Azotobacter and Beijerinckca indica are effective polysaccharide-producing microbes. These may provide indicators of soil potential. Soil organic matter can decrease for many reasons, one of which involves conventional tillage practices. Better soil management is necessary to increase microbial processes and soil fertility. More research is necessary to predict how soil type, climatic conditions, and management affect below ground microbial ecology in drylands. (author)