Soils are composed of solid, liquid, and gaseous phases. The spatial organization and structure of the solid phase is referred to as the soil architecture and determines fluxes of the liquid and gaseous phases. Traditionally, soil architecture is assumed to be stable over timescales relevant to soil functions, such as carbon, nutrient, and water cycling. However, this assumption does not always hold, especially under changing land use and climate conditions. Dynamics of pore structure and soil aggregates and redistribution of soil material through mixing and erosion continuously reshape the soil architecture over short to long timescales, affecting the functions of soils. To comprehensively understand soil functionality in a changing world, it is imperative to view soils as dynamic, four-dimensional systems.

This special issue (SI) invites papers that study soil dynamics using numerical and statistical models. The focus will be on the development of model-based representations, or digital twins, of soil systems to study soil processes, dynamics, and functions from the pore to the landscape scale and from diurnal dynamics to millennial evolution. By bringing together modellers and models that work on different spatiotemporal scales, we aim at synergies between soil hydrology, soil physics, soil geography, and soil ecology to develop holistic models that consider soils and their functions as dynamic systems. This SI is an initiative of the International Soil Modeling Consortium (ISMC, https://soil-modeling.org/) and the 3-4D Soil models working group (https://dbges.de/en/commissions-and-working-groups/working-groups/wg-3-4d-soil-models), part of the German Soil Science Society.

SOIL invites submissions for a special issue (SI) on Agrogeophysics: illuminating soil's hidden dimensions. This SI aims to explore the interdisciplinary field of agrogeophysics, which is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the noninvasive mapping of soil properties; monitoring soil–plant–atmosphere processes as well as their interactions with crop growth and their responses to management practices; and, hence, supporting sustainable agriculture. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that integrate agrogeophysics with soil science and related disciplines. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• soil–plant–atmosphere interactions,
• applications of geophysical techniques to root phenotyping,
• hydrological processes and soil water dynamics,
• soil health assessment and management strategies,
• sustainable agriculture and precision farming,
• geospatial analysis and remote sensing in soil science,
• coupled modelling of soil processes and related geophysical data,
• new pedophysical relationships relating soil properties to geophysical properties,
• socio-economic implications of agrogeophysics,
• emerging technologies and innovations in soil monitoring and management,
• geophysics as a tool for envirotyping.

This special issue investigates the fascinating interactions between the geosphere and biosphere that are active near the Earth’s surface and within the critical zone. The special issue focuses on modelling and observational studies conducted along the extreme climate and ecological gradient of the Chilean Coastal Cordillera. We welcome submissions that address the physical or chemical processes whereby micro-organisms, animals, and plants influence the shape and development of the Earth’s surface over timescales ranging from the present day to the distant geologic past. As this topic is highly interdisciplinary in scope, we encourage submissions from diverse disciplines including geology, geography, geochemistry, surface geophysics, ecology, microbiology, soil sciences, hydrogeology, geomorphology, and climatology. Integrative studies that bridge between disciplines are particularly welcome. Two types of manuscript submissions are possible. These include either original and/or new scientific full-length research articles presenting new data and interpretations or review and synthesis papers that are invited by the editors and integrate data from different studies and disciplines to address state-of-the-science questions related to Earth surface shaping by biota.

Increasing soil organic carbon in agricultural soils is a strategy that is becoming increasingly popular as part of the global efforts to mitigate climate change. A large range of management strategies aim to increase or maintain organic soil organic carbon levels, including minimizing soil disturbance, diversifying vegetation, directly incorporating organic matter, and restoring drained organic soils. While these practices might be valid to increase soil organic carbon stocks, they can have associated trade-offs related to environmental impacts, such as increased greenhouse gas emissions (N₂O and CH₄) and nutrient losses, as well as socio-ecological implications. In this special issue, we welcome contributions that give insight into the trade-offs and synergies associated with agricultural management practices that aim to mitigate climate change through soil carbon sequestration. Experimental, modelling, or synthesis approaches are welcome, and there is no restriction on the spatial scale of the studies. This special issue is a joint effort from scientists participating in projects within the European Joint Programme Cofund on Agricultural Soil Management (EJP SOIL, https://ejpsoil.eu) who will act as invited editors.

Soils are composed of solid, liquid, and gaseous phases. The spatial organization and structure of the solid phase is referred to as the soil architecture and determines fluxes of the liquid and gaseous phases. Traditionally, soil architecture is assumed to be stable over timescales relevant to soil functions, such as carbon, nutrient, and water cycling. However, this assumption does not always hold, especially under changing land use and climate conditions. Dynamics of pore structure and soil aggregates and redistribution of soil material through mixing and erosion continuously reshape the soil architecture over short to long timescales, affecting the functions of soils. To comprehensively understand soil functionality in a changing world, it is imperative to view soils as dynamic, four-dimensional systems.

This special issue (SI) invites papers that study soil dynamics using numerical and statistical models. The focus will be on the development of model-based representations, or digital twins, of soil systems to study soil processes, dynamics, and functions from the pore to the landscape scale and from diurnal dynamics to millennial evolution. By bringing together modellers and models that work on different spatiotemporal scales, we aim at synergies between soil hydrology, soil physics, soil geography, and soil ecology to develop holistic models that consider soils and their functions as dynamic systems. This SI is an initiative of the International Soil Modeling Consortium (ISMC, https://soil-modeling.org/) and the 3-4D Soil models working group (https://dbges.de/en/commissions-and-working-groups/working-groups/wg-3-4d-soil-models), part of the German Soil Science Society.

SOIL invites submissions for a special issue (SI) on Agrogeophysics: illuminating soil's hidden dimensions. This SI aims to explore the interdisciplinary field of agrogeophysics, which is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the noninvasive mapping of soil properties; monitoring soil–plant–atmosphere processes as well as their interactions with crop growth and their responses to management practices; and, hence, supporting sustainable agriculture. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that integrate agrogeophysics with soil science and related disciplines. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• soil–plant–atmosphere interactions,
• applications of geophysical techniques to root phenotyping,
• hydrological processes and soil water dynamics,
• soil health assessment and management strategies,
• sustainable agriculture and precision farming,
• geospatial analysis and remote sensing in soil science,
• coupled modelling of soil processes and related geophysical data,
• new pedophysical relationships relating soil properties to geophysical properties,
• socio-economic implications of agrogeophysics,
• emerging technologies and innovations in soil monitoring and management,
• geophysics as a tool for envirotyping.

Increasing soil organic carbon in agricultural soils is a strategy that is becoming increasingly popular as part of the global efforts to mitigate climate change. A large range of management strategies aim to increase or maintain organic soil organic carbon levels, including minimizing soil disturbance, diversifying vegetation, directly incorporating organic matter, and restoring drained organic soils. While these practices might be valid to increase soil organic carbon stocks, they can have associated trade-offs related to environmental impacts, such as increased greenhouse gas emissions (N₂O and CH₄) and nutrient losses, as well as socio-ecological implications. In this special issue, we welcome contributions that give insight into the trade-offs and synergies associated with agricultural management practices that aim to mitigate climate change through soil carbon sequestration. Experimental, modelling, or synthesis approaches are welcome, and there is no restriction on the spatial scale of the studies. This special issue is a joint effort from scientists participating in projects within the European Joint Programme Cofund on Agricultural Soil Management (EJP SOIL, https://ejpsoil.eu) who will act as invited editors.

This special issue investigates the fascinating interactions between the geosphere and biosphere that are active near the Earth’s surface and within the critical zone. The special issue focuses on modelling and observational studies conducted along the extreme climate and ecological gradient of the Chilean Coastal Cordillera. We welcome submissions that address the physical or chemical processes whereby micro-organisms, animals, and plants influence the shape and development of the Earth’s surface over timescales ranging from the present day to the distant geologic past. As this topic is highly interdisciplinary in scope, we encourage submissions from diverse disciplines including geology, geography, geochemistry, surface geophysics, ecology, microbiology, soil sciences, hydrogeology, geomorphology, and climatology. Integrative studies that bridge between disciplines are particularly welcome. Two types of manuscript submissions are possible. These include either original and/or new scientific full-length research articles presenting new data and interpretations or review and synthesis papers that are invited by the editors and integrate data from different studies and disciplines to address state-of-the-science questions related to Earth surface shaping by biota.