María Teresa Rodríguez: «Soil zoological diversity plays an important role in the sustainability of our agricultural sector»

In 1881, Charles Darwin dedicated what would be his last book to tiny creatures whose existence often goes unnoticed: earthworms. In its pages, the British naturalist reflects on their essential contribution to soil formation and fertilization, an element that is vital for life on our planet.

In doing so, he helped to confirm that these “ecosystem engineers” improve the water properties of the soil, facilitate the assimilation of nutrients by plants by degrading organic matter, and promote the activity of microorganisms that are beneficial to the natural environment.

These ecosystem services, which are also provided by other species of edaphic fauna, are inextricably linked to the quality of our agricultural production, enabling it to develop in an efficient, productive and, above all, sustainable manner.

With the aim of understanding the dynamics that govern this relationship, we are today interviewing María Teresa Rodríguez, Professor in the Department of Zoology, Genetics, and Physical Anthropology at Campus Terra, who has extensive experience in the study and conservation of terrestrial invertebrates, among other areas of expertise.

-You have been associated with the Campus Terra for more than two decades. How has your teaching and research work evolved during this time, and what milestones would you highlight?

-My work, both as a teacher and researcher, has changed since I arrived at Campus Terra.

In the first case (teaching), it has not only changed but continues to evolve year after year, as I believe teachers must stay up-to-date with the content of the subjects they teach and the methods they use, adapting to new technologies and the concerns of their students.

My work also changed in a second aspect because when I arrived in Lugo, I was part of a research team at the Faculty of Biology in Compostela, and I gradually adapted my research to areas more closely related to the agricultural sector while always keeping in mind the biological and conservation aspects.

-One of your areas of specialization is terrestrial malacology. How relevant is the study of gastropods in the current context of climate change and biodiversity conservation?

-Climate change is one of the main threats to the conservation of natural communities in different ecosystems, as it causes changes in temperature and water availability that affect ecosystems and their biodiversity. By acting on environmental factors, climate change can affect the abundance, population dynamics, and composition of populations, either directly or through other environmental factors.

In this sense, terrestrial mollusks are highly dependent on these factors, which directly impact their biological cycle, affecting their hibernation, growth, and reproduction. They are, therefore, considered one of the most vulnerable groups due to their restricted distribution. In addition, they are also indirectly affected, as habitat loss due to deforestation, fires, or desertification also affects them. Furthermore, climate change alters food availability, which affects their survival.

Suppose we know the climatic conditions for terrestrial gastropod species. In that case, we can identify the geographical areas that meet the ideal climatic conditions for its presence, which would allow us to determine suitable habitats where the species could be present, even if there is no record of its presence, as well as areas that are climatically suitable for its presence in the future.

In this way, conservation efforts could be made by identifying, for example, possible areas to protect in order to maintain the biodiversity of terrestrial gastropods, which, like the rest of the fauna, play a very important role by providing a host of ecosystem services to our edaphic ecosystems, as they intervene in food chains, in the physical and chemical properties of soils, in the formation of biogenic structures, etc.

Climate change causes widespread biodiversity loss, which threatens the stability of ecosystems and human health.

-You actively participate in research groups that address issues such as agricultural ecology, soil quality, and waste management. What synergies are generated between soil zoology and agrarian sustainability?

-Agricultural sustainability is vitally important for producing food to feed a growing world population; almost all of the world's fertile land is in use, and arable land cannot be expanded significantly. The global challenge is to ensure high-quality yields and make agricultural production compatible with the natural environment.

The presence or absence of certain taxa (classification categories of living beings) not only tells us if something is happening, as some groups are very sensitive to pollution, while others are very tolerant; altering the balance that exists in the edaphic environment has a direct impact on the quality of agricultural production and its long-term conservation.

In this sense, edaphic fauna plays a crucial role in the physical and chemical characteristics of our soils, actively participating in the nutrient cycle. Many edaphic taxa are essential for the decomposition of organic matter and, therefore, cannot be ignored in studies of agricultural sustainability.

On the other hand, species that are not typically edaphic but have larval stages in the soil are involved in processes that are vital for food production. I am referring to pollinators (bees, beetles, butterflies, etc.) that contribute to plant diversity and affect zoological diversity through pollination.

When it comes to waste management, we must bear in mind that in the edaphic environment, we have animal taxa that are very useful for transforming waste through their digestive processes. These processes lead to the detoxification of toxins and their subsequent biodegradation or bioaccumulation in tissues, thereby removing them from the edaphic circulation. In this sense, a group that is widely used in edaphic zoo remediation processes is earthworms, which are utilized for ecotoxicity studies in soils.

This is why edaphic zoological diversity plays an important role in the sustainability of our agricultural sector.

-The monitoring of species such as Geomalacus maculosus and the creation of red lists in Portugal demonstrate their involvement in conservation projects. What is the biggest challenge for protecting native invertebrate fauna in the Iberian Peninsula?

-From my point of view, there is no single major challenge, but rather several major challenges:

• Loss and degradation of habitats due to pollution, fires, deforestation, or construction that directly affect invertebrate fauna and for which no environmental impact studies are carried out or, if they are, they are done in a “half-hearted” manner, directly impacting the quality and availability of habitats.
• Climate change, which, as I mentioned, affects the distribution, survival, and reproduction of invertebrates.
• Human activities, the presence of invasive species, lack of education...
• Lack of awareness of their role in all the ecological processes in which they are involved and without which we would have no food, no clean air, or even soil to build our buildings, roads, etc.

-Your participation in projects such as “From Farm to Table” and “Bio+” shows a clear commitment to applied research. How do you assess the transfer of knowledge from academia to the agri-food sector?

-I think it is vitally important, as it is the way in which the money invested in research can be returned to the different sectors that need it and which, in many cases, are not in a position to carry out research; applied research is a way of returning the advances made in academia to society.

-Throughout your career, you have collaborated with numerous multidisciplinary teams. What role does collaboration between disciplines (biology, agronomy, ecology) play in your current projects?

-If we want to conduct research that can be applied to everyday life, we have no choice but to interact across different disciplines, as this is the way to determine the needs of our agri-food sector. We cannot work in silos, as the field is a complex mixture of various elements that interact with each other. Therefore, researchers must also establish synergies among themselves to address the concerns that arise from agrosystems.

-Within the framework of Campus Terra, what potential do you see for Lugo to consolidate itself as a benchmark in research on sustainability and agroecology from an integrated perspective of the rural and natural environment?

-The rural environment and the natural environment cannot be seen as two isolated things with no connection between them, as this would be a serious mistake for the agricultural sector. They are irrevocably linked and integrated; we cannot separate them.

This integration refers to the harmonious coexistence of human activities in rural areas and the preservation of natural ecosystems. This implies the development of sustainable practices that promote biodiversity conservation, the responsible use of natural resources, and the integration of economic activity with the protection of the natural environment.

In this sense, the rural environment must preserve soil, water, and air, protect biotopes and green spaces, preserve the landscape, and conserve biodiversity.

Lugo should already be established as a benchmark in research on sustainability and agroecology, as there are leading groups working on all these aspects with very satisfactory results. However, the problem stems from something that is reflected in the question and which, unfortunately, we have not yet fully internalized: an integrative perspective.

-Finally, what lines of research do you think will be key in the immediate future in the field of zoology applied to agro-environmental management?

-All those related to the conservation of biodiversity and its ecosystem services (pollination, various bioturbation processes, zoo remediation, seed dispersal, pest control, material and energy flow, herbivory, etc.) because if we lose these services, there is no possibility of managing anything.

Fauna influences the distribution patterns and composition of vegetation, soils, and geomorphological processes, thereby playing a significant role in agro-environmental management. Problems in wildlife management will affect nature conservation.

We cannot forget that agricultural landscapes are the result of the interaction of multiple factors, one of which is clearly the wildlife that inhabits them.