Biodiversity is in rapid decline, largely driven by habitat loss and degradation. Protected area establishment and management are widely used to maintain habitats and species in perpetuity.

Soil and water salinity and associated problems are a major challenge for global food production.

Recent perspective has highlighted the microbial importance of interplay between catabolic breakdown and anabolic synthesis in influencing soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and persistence.

Land-use intensification at the field and landscape scale is a strong driver for declining biodiversity and ecosystem service provision.

Elucidating relationships between the soil food web, soil processes, and agroecosystem function is a critical step toward a more sustainable agriculture.

Is ecology, as a science, doing enough to address big environmental problems? Here, a review of the top 40 ecology journals suggests not.

Soil contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has led to adverse environmental impacts.

Mercury contamination in soil, water and air is associated with potential toxicity to humans and ecosystems.

Is ecology, as a science, doing enough to address big environmental problems? Here, a review of the top 40 ecology journals suggests not.

More meaningful and useful soil health tests are needed to enable better on-farm soil management.