Impact of Anthropogenic Activities on Microbial Diversity and Soil Health

Soil, the fragile top layer of the Earth’s ecosystem, is a crucial natural resource for supporting life on the planet. The majority of terrestrial biological activities takes place in the soil which is the foundation of agriculture production worldwide. The physico-chemical, biochemical and biological characteristics of the soil are necessary for evaluation of soil health, which is the ability of the soil to support plant productivity, preserve air and water quality, support human well-being and provide environment for biodiversity within the natural or controlled ecosystem boundaries. Soil microbes are a significant constituent of the soil and play a fundamental role in driving 80–90% of the soil processes and serving as the primary regulators of soil fertility and quality. Soil productivity is influenced by the amount and activity of beneficial soil microbes, which help in decomposition of the organic matter and control the availability of plant nutrients. Soil microbial communities are sensitive to anthropogenic involvement which have negative impact on soil health and biodiversity of soil microbes. Anthropogenic activities like agricultural intensification and industrialisation as well as climate change are putting pressure on land usage due to population growth and rising food demands. To meet food demands of growing population, significant efforts have been made over the past few decades to enhance agricultural output through overuse of pesticides and fertilizers. These activities are continuously releasing heavy metals and other contaminants to the soil. This results in the removal of the top fertile layer, endangering the balance of the ecosystem, crop productivity, green forest cover and soil fertility. In this chapter, an effort has been made to highlight the impact of anthropogenic activities on soil microbial diversity and soil health including physicochemical and biological parameters.