Ideas and perspectives: Biogeochemistry – Its Future Role in Interdisciplinary Frontiers

Abstract

Biogeochemistry has an important role to play in many environmental issues of current concern related to global change and air, water, and soil quality. However, reliable predictions and tangible take-up of solutions offered by biogeochemistry will need further integration of disciplines. Here, we emphasize how further developing ties between biology, geology, and chemistry and social sciences will advance biogeochemistry through: 1) better integration of mechanisms including contemporary evolutionary adaptation to predict changing biogeochemical cycles; 2) better integration of data from long-term monitoring sites in terrestrial, aquatic, and human systems across temporal and spatial scales, including the continental and global scale, for use in modeling efforts; and 3) implementing insights from social sciences to better understand how sustainable and equitable responses by society are achieved. The challenges of 21 st century biogeochemists are formidable, and will require both the capacity to respond fast to pressing issues and intense collaboration with government officials, the public, and internationally-funded programs. Keys to its success will be the degree to which biogeochemistry succeeds in making biogeochemical knowledge more available to policy makers and educators, in predicting future changes in the biosphere in response to climate change and other anthropogenic impacts on time scales from seasons to centuries, and in facilitating sustainable and equitable responses by society.