Jeff ery, S. et al. (eds): European Atlas of Soil Biodiversity


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Jeff ery, S. et al. (eds): European Atlas of Soil Biodiversity. European Commission, 
Publication Offi  ce of the European Union, Luxemburg. 2010.

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission published a new soil atlas at the 
end of 2010. This is the third in the atlas series launched six years ago with the Soil Atlas 
of Europe (2005) and continued with the Soil Atlas of the Northern Circumpolar Region 
(2010). United Nations has declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. On 
this occasion Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC) and Directorate-
General for the Environment of the European Commission (DG Environment) have pro-
duced the fi rst ever a comprehensive atlas at European scale. More than 60 specialists of 
the JRC and the world leading experts in soil biodiversity were involved into the edition 
of this tome.

The Atlas of the Soil Biodiversity is not a conventional atlas than it rather is an 
encyclopaedia. It is designed to be a reference guide to life of soil, so it can be a useful tool 
for soil scientists and for higher education. The soil atlas is divided into two parts. Section 
one covers a wide range of topics related to soil biodiversity. Fundaments of the soil envi-
ronment, ecosystems and biomes, soil functions, threats to soil biodiversity, soil ecology, and 
the methodology are introduced from the perspectives of soil ecology and microbiology. 
The policies and the role of education are discussed by another chapter. Although the atlas 
offi  cially focuses on Europe, the majority of the chapters have a wider scope. 

The conventional atlas appears in the 6th chapter: “Distribution of Soil Organisms 
within Europe”. Section two is a taxonomical handbook of the soil organisms. This section 
contains up-to-date and more comprehensive knowledge than several available books in 
the fi eld of soil ecology. Each section works independently of all other sections, to make 

information readily accessible. For this rea-
son some data are being shown recurrently. 
Some of the topics are more theoretical and 
abstract than the other ones, however, the 
extent of the chapters are balanced. Where 
the subject is complex and abstract, simple 
analogies and explanations appear in sup-
plementary textboxes.

The language is easily accessible, 
but some terms can be unknown for the 
new reader. For this reason a glossary can 
be found at the back of the volume. The 
atlas is richly illustrated with fi gures and 
photos, and comprises one A/2, three A/3 
and 13 A/4 sized map plates. 

The European Atlas of Soil Biodi-
versity is freely available online at htt p://
eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/library/maps/bio-
diversity_atlas/

Zoltán Szalai