Applied aspects of soil carbon

Abstract Soil organic matter and its microbial residents impart key ecosystem services which we rely upon daily. Management of soil affects the fate of C by altering conditions for soil microbial biomass, activity, and diversity. The balance of C inputs and outputs from soil dictates sequestration of soil organic C. Depth distribution of soil organic C controls ecosystem processes at the field level, and therefore, conservation agricultural management approaches are needed to restore the vitality of soil through biologically active soil C. Organic amendments provide C resources critical for energizing soil. Soil biological activity is a key indicator of soil health due to its integration of how soil microorganisms respond to their environment. Humanity depends on the orderly functioning of soil—driven by the soil organisms that inhabit it.