What is this collection about?

Soil microorganisms regulate whether ecosystems function as net carbon sinks or carbon sources. Understanding how microbial processes respond to environmental changes is essential for predicting the future global carbon cycle. It is also key to informing sustainable mitigation efforts. 

This cross-journal collection showcases manuscripts examining how soil microbial communities interact with changing environments to regulate carbon sequestration. We particularly welcome studies on the effects of climate change, nutrient enrichment, land-use change, and other anthropogenic interventions. Contributions that link microbial-scale processes to long-term carbon storage and ecosystem-level carbon feedback are especially encouraged. Nature Geoscience, Nature Communications, Communications Earth & Environment, Communications Sustainability, npj Biodiversity, and npj Soil Ecology will consider original Articles, Reviews and Perspectives. Scientific Reports will consider original Articles.

Why is this collection important?

This is a cross-journal collection between ature Geoscience, Nature Communications, Communications Earth & Environment, Communications Sustainability, npj Biodiversity, npj Soil Ecology, and Scientific Reports. Authors are welcome to submit to any of the participating journals. All manuscripts published in the collection are hosted on a dedicated nature portfolio portal, giving articles high visibility beyond the journal they are published in.

Why submit to a collection?

Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by In-House Editors who are experts in their fields and supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores, and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest.

Who is involved?

Communications Earth & Environment is edited by both in-house professional editors and Editorial Board Members. 

Guest editor for Communications Earth & Environment

Guopeng Liang, Phd, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Guopeng Liang is an Assistant Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong. His research examines how environmental change and agricultural management practices influence soil carbon cycling, microbial processes, and plant productivity. He integrates field experiments, laboratory incubations, meta-analyses, large-scale data syntheses, next-generation DNA sequencing, and ecosystem modeling to uncover the mechanisms governing ecosystem responses to global change. His overarching goal is to develop science-based, nature-positive solutions that enhance soil health, strengthen food security, and contribute to climate change mitigation.

Communications Sustainability is edited by both in-house professional editors and Editorial Board Members.

Nature Communications is edited by in-house professional editors.

Nature Geoscience is edited by in-house professional editors.

npj Soil Ecology is edited by a team of external academic editors.

npj Biodiversity is edited by a team of external academic editors.

Scientific Reports is managed by in-house professional editors and edited by Editorial Board Members.

Our editors work closely together to ensure the quality of our published papers and consistency in author experience.

How can I submit my paper?

• Visit the Collection page to find out more about this collection and submit your article.