THE ECOLOGY OF SOIL DECOMPOSITION
By Sina M. Adl Wallingford, UK and Cambridge, MA, USA CAB International
$100.00 (hc) xiii + 335p; ill.; index. ISBN: 0-81599-661-2. (alk. Paper). 2003.
This volume, which is a welcome addition to the Soil Science literature, has a
rather misleading title. Its subject matter is not ‘Soil Decomposition’ but rather ‘Organic
Matter Decomposition in Soil’. Its focus is on the trophic interactions among the diverse
organisms that live in the soil. The author particularly emphasizes the ecology of species
that inhabit soils and their effects on spatial heterogeneity and succession patterns over
longer time scales. He also concludes correctly that interactions between species within
functional groups and their effects on nutrient fluxes are poorly quantified currently.
The book discusses in turn, the activities of saprotrophic organisms; the soil as a
habitat for living organisms; sampling and enumeration of populations of soil organisms;
the concept of soil food webs, spatial and temporal patterns of soil-inhabiting organisms
and finally, integrating the soil food web. There is no emphasis on soil microbiological
issues at some expense to discussing soil invertebrate activities; it can only be assumed
that the author is a microbiologist. For instance in the first Chapter, “The Saprotrophs”,
66 pages are devoted to microorganisms compared to only 14 pages which address soilinhabiting invertebrates. Similarly in Chapter 3 which discusses “Sampling and
Enumeration”, 11 pages are devoted to sampling and statistical and theoretical aspects, 16
pages to microorganisms and 2.5 pages to invertebrates.
In spite of these criticisms the book has a number of useful and innovative
approaches, not found in most books on soil microbiology. It clearly emphasizes the
strong interactions that occur between diverse groups of soil inhabiting organisms. It
seems mainly aimed at soil ecological researchers in its style and context. There are not
many university courses that would justify its purchase as a text. However, there is no
doubt that it will be a valuable reference addition to the soil science and soil ecological
literature.
CLIVE A. EDWARDS, Soil Ecology Laboratory
Entomology Department, The Ohio State
University, Columbus, Ohio