Soil ecology and soil biology are two different fields that study the interactions between organisms and soil. However, there are some key differences between the two.
Soil ecology is the study of how living organisms interact with each other and with their non-living environment in soil. This includes the study of how plants, microbes, and animals interact with soil to form a complex web of relationships that support ecosystem health and productivity.
Soil ecologists also study the relationships between soil, water, and air, and how these relationships affect the health of the soil ecosystem.
Soil biology, on the other hand, focuses on the study of individual organisms that live in soil, including bacteria, fungi, insects, and other small animals.
Soil biologists study the individual behaviors, relationships, and functions of these organisms, and how they interact with each other and with the soil. They also study the evolution and diversity of soil organisms, and how they contribute to soil health and fertility.
In summary, soil ecology is a more holistic and systems-level study of the interactions between organisms and soil, while soil biology is a more focused study of individual organisms and their relationships with each other and with soil.
Both fields are important for understanding the complex relationships that exist in soil and how they impact ecosystem health and productivity.
