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The inspiration and concept for preparing this volume were conceived while both of us were sipping a cup of Columbian coffee in the Goethe Gallery, Jena (Germany). The idea developed that soils are dynamic biological systems and certainly not a static substrate that supports the life of microbes, plants and animals. Microorganisms play a vital role in creating this universe and maintaining life in it. Dealing with the interrelationships of organisms and the relationships between organisms and their environment was formerly more or less confined to a small group of specialists within the scientific community. This has changed in the current scenario. Growing environmental problems have created a public awareness of the ecological disturbances and dangers related to excessive industrial expansion and the way of life in “disposable societies”. As a consequence of the perceived importance of ecology, research in …