Training workshop held in Portugal to strengthen global soil biodiversity monitoring
From 23–30 May 2025, FAO and its Global Soil Partnership (GSP) held a training workshop to strengthen technical capacity for assessing soil biodiversity and functional indicators in support of both national and global monitoring efforts. The event was organized within the framework of the Global Soil Biodiversity Observatory (GLOSOB) – a monitoring initiative developed by the International Network of Soil Biodiversity Network (NETSOB) – and the Soil Biodiversity Observation Network (SoilBON) . The workshop brought together 11 participants (8 men and 3 women) from Central and North America, the Caribbean, and Central Asia .
Participants engaged in a combination of classroom discussions, fieldwork, and laboratory exercises hosted in Portugal by the University of Coimbra and the University of Minho. Topics covered included the structure of national soil biodiversity assessments, nematode-based indicators, soil meso- and macrofauna extraction and sorting methods, and enzymatic activity assays as proxies of soil function. A field excursion to Serra da Estrela enabled hands-on application of standardized protocols for biodiversity sampling, including strategies for minimizing contamination and ensuring sample quality.
"This workshop clarified the dos and don'ts, and allowed comparisons with sampling for chemical and physical properties" said Gaius Eudoxie of the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, emphasizing the practical value of the workshop in aligning soil biodiversity monitoring with broader soil assessment frameworks.
The workshop featured expert-led sessions on linking biodiversity metrics to ecosystem functions, designing representative sampling schemes, and implementing quality control measures. Workshop highlights included:
- Live demonstrations of nematode processing and ecological interpretation (e.g., channel ratios and enrichment footprints)
- Training in microarthropod extraction and identification
- Use of substrate-induced respiration and fluorometric assays to quantify soil microbial activity
Reflecting on the experience, Alejandro Ureña Sánchez from the Dos Pinos Cooperative of Dairy Producers in Costa Rica shared: "Thanks to FAO and the SoilBON team of experts for their professionalism and support, I will now return to Costa Rica with a renewed perspective on the future of our soils and a clearer vision for strengthening our national capacities”.
This workshop reflects a growing commitment to harmonizing global soil biodiversity observations under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and builds on the tiered approach developed by GLOSOB to essential biodiversity variables (EBVs). It also supports the capacity-building goals of the GSP and will inform national soil monitoring efforts across multiple regions.