Phosphorus (P) is a finite resource which is essential for life. It is a limiting nutrient in many ecosystems but also a pollutant which can affect biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems and change the ecology of water bodies. This book collects the latest information on biological processes in soil P cycling, which to date have remained much less understood than physico-chemical processes. The methods section presents spectroscopic techniques and the characterization of microbial P forms, as well as the use of tracers, molecular approaches and modeling of soil-plant systems. The section on processes deals with mycorrhizal symbioses, microbial P solubilization, soil macrofauna, phosphatase enzymes and rhizosphere processes. On the system level, P cycling is examined for grasslands, arctic and alpine soils, forest plantations, tropical forests, and dryland regions. Further, P management with respect to animal production and cropping, and the interactions between global change and P cycling, are treated.

A valuable source of information for scientists in biochemistry, microbiology, agronomy, forestry and environmental sciences

Soil organic phosphorus speciation by spectroscopic techniques.- Characterization of phosphorus forms in soil microorganisms.- The use of tracers to investigate phosphate cycling in soil/plant systems.- Molecular approaches to study biological phosphorus cycling.- Modelling phosphorus dynamics in the soil-plant system.- Role of mycorrhizal symbioses in phosphorus cycling.- Solubilization of phosphorus by soil microorganisms.- Role of soil macrofauna in phosphorus cycling.- Role of phosphatase enzymes in soil.- Rhizosphere processes, plant response and adaptations.- Biological phosphorus cycling in grasslands - Interactions with N.- Biological phosphorus cycling in arctic and alpine soils.- Phosphorus nutrition of forest plantations: the role of inorganic and organic phosphorus. - Phosphorus cycling in tropical forests growing on highly weathered soils.- Biological P cycling in dryland regions.- Manure management effects on phosphorus biotransformations and losses in animal production.- Management impacts on biological phosphorus cycling in cropped soils.- Phosphorus and global change.