Mountain soil biodiversity above the treeline

Soil degradation and the loss of soil biodiversity form one of the major threats from global change in many regions of the world. This is also true for mountains, where soils are particularly susceptible to climate warming and land-use change through intensification or abandonment strategies. Given that soils take thousands of years to develop, their degradation and gradual erosion presents an ultimate ecosystem collapse with no option for repair and with profound consequences for nature and people alike. Even though mountain soils fulfil important functions, such as water filtration for lowlands and carbon storage, little is known about their biodiversity and the functions related to soil biota. In this session, we aim to bring together experts, including ecologists, botanists, microbiologists, and zoologists working on mountain soil organisms from all over the world to discuss their biodiversity, functional roles, and response upon global change under both current and future perspectives.