What Are Soils?.- Microbial Diversity in Soils.- Microorganisms and Soil Genesis.- Role of Microorganisms in Wear Down of Rocks and Minerals.- Humification and Mineralization in Soils.- Importance of Microorganisms for Soil Aggregation.- Microorganisms and Biogeochemical Processes in Soils.- Microbial Energetics in Soils.- Role of Microorganisms in Carbon Cycling in Soils.- Contribution of Bacteria to Initial Input and Cycling of Nitrogen in Soils.- Influence of Microorganisms on Phosphorus Bioavailability in Soils.- Biotic Interactions Involving Soil Microorganisms.- Interactions Between Mycorrhizal Fungi and Bacteria to Improve Plant Nutrient Cycling and Soil Structure.- Mycorrhizosphere: Strategies and Functions.- Interactions Between Microorganisms and Soil Micro- and Mesofauna.- Function of Microbes in Specific Soil Compartments.- Transgenic Rhizospheres of Crop Plants: Their Impact on Indigenous Soil Fungi.- Regulation of Microbial Activities in Functional Domains of Roots and Invertebrates.- Microorganisms of Biological Crusts on Soil Surfaces.- Microorganisms in Toxic Metal-Polluted Soils.- Techniques to Investigate Soil Microorganisms.- Marker Genes in Soil Microbiology.- Assessing Functions of Soil Microbes with Isotopic Measurements.

From the reviews of the first edition:

"This volume is a collection of 18 review articles on a range of topics in soil biology. ... The theme of this volume reflects some current and well established topics in soil biology. ... This book is ... valuable to readers with some knowledge of soil science, but with only basic training in biology, who wish to increase their understanding of aspects of soil biology." (D. W. Hopkins, European Journal of Soil Science, Vol. 57, December, 2006)