Table of Contents

1. Soil Carbon in the World: Ecosystem Services Linked to Soil Carbon in Forest and Agricultural Soils 2. Soil Organic Matter in Dryland Ecosystems 3. Clay Minerals - Organic Matter Interactions in Relation to Carbon Stabilization in Soils 4. The Molecular Composition of Humus Carbon: Recalcitrance and Reactivity in Soils 5. SOM and Microbes - What Is Left From Microbial Life 6. Microbial Control of Soil Carbon Turnover 7. Recycling of Organic Wastes to Soil and Its  Effect on Soil Organic Carbon Status 8. Soil Erosion and C Losses: Strategies for Building Soil Carbon 9. The Future of Soil Carbon

About the Author

Carlos Garcia has been Professor of Research for the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) since 2003. He is currently working in the Centre for Soil Science and Applied Biology of the Segura (CEBAS-CSIC) of Murcia (Spain). His scientific work focuses on the problem of highly degraded semiarid soils and strategies for their protection and rehabilitation, as well as the search for new sources of organic matter. Dr. Garcia has published 189 scientific papers in SCI journals. He also has extensive scientific management experience, having served as director of CEBAS-CSIC, Scientific Coordinator of the CSIC Agricultural Science Area, and as a partner in national and regional research programs. Paolo Nannipieri is Professor of Agricultural Chemistry and Head of the Department of Plant, Soil and Environmental Sciences at University of Florence, Italy. He is a member of the Soil Science Society of America, the Italian Society of Soil Science, and the Italian Society of Agricultural Chemistry. He served as President of the Italian Society of Agricultural Chemistry and is currently serving as the President of the Commission 2.3 Soil Biology of the International Union of Soil Societies (IUSS). He is also the Editor in Chief of Biology and Fertility of Soils. He holds several distinctions for his global contributions to soil science and sustainable agriculture and land management. Teresa Hernandez has been Professor of Research of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) since 2005 and has been part of the research scientific staff of the Centre for Soil Science and Applied Biology of the Segura (CEBAS-CSIC) of Murcia (Spain) since 1981. She is an expert in the study of soil organic matter and humic fraction characterization, organic waste stabilization and recycling with both agricultural and degraded soil rehabilitation purposes, and in the study of the processes undergone by organic matter in soil and the more suitable strategies for building "new soil MO." She is a pioneer in the introduction of enzymatic studies on degraded soils in semiarid environments.