User:Jamosse/sandbox

Urban soils are soils located in cities, industrial, traffic, mining and military areas. They are highly diverse varying in natural conditions being slightly or completely disturbed through human activities. The main characteristics of urban soils are due to human influences such as mixing, sealing, filling, compaction and contamination. As a consequence, available habitats for soil organisms are often reduced that affect the whole soil functioning.

The recent emphasis on ecosystem services as a currency to value ecosystems and promote their sustainable use has drawn attention to the ways in which different organisms contribute to the delivery of ecosystem services. These services (i.e; water infiltration, thermal regulation) may be even more vital in stressed environments such as urban ecosystems. At different spatial and temporal scales, enchytraeids and earthworms are key actors of the soil processes. They provide essential ecosystem services such as organic matter decomposition by fragmenting organic debris, nutrient cycling, soil formation , plant growth and regulating microbial processes.