Beyond Mitigation: The Role of Soil Organic Matter for Climate Change Adaptation in Agriculture

Besides its role in climate change mitigation, increasing soil organic matter (SOM) content could be an effective and feasible strategy for the adaptation of agricultural ecosystems. Climate change has increased the frequency and duration of extreme events worldwide, which requires improvements in soil hydraulic properties. Indeed, the effects of droughts and heavy rainfall can be mitigated by improving soil structure, as well as soil water holding and storage capacity. Moreover, many agricultural soils are degraded, and crops are increasingly exposed to more severe pests and diseases due to rising temperatures. This highlights the need for balanced plant nutrition and for increasing the soil’s capacity to sustain a balanced biological community (i.e., suppressive soils). In this sense, improving soil health is essential for food security in the coming years, particularly by reinforcing soil functions relevant to the adaptation of agriculture to climate change. The link between SOM and soil health is well established. Therefore, approaches that relate SOM to specific soil functions relevant to climate change adaptation in agriculture are urgently needed.

The X International Symposium on Soil Organic Matter (SOM2026) addressed the critical topic under the theme "The Nexus of Healthy Soils and a Sustainable Future". Therefore, this Research Topic of Frontiers in Soil Science and Frontiers in Agronomy aims to feature current challenges, highlight emerging directions, and reflect the vibrant scientific community expected at SOM2026, which took place directions, and reflect the vibrant scientific community expected at SOM2026, which took place in São Paulo on May 25–29, 2026.
Unpublished research and review papers from authors not participating in the conference are highly encouraged for submission, mainly those concerning the relationship among SOM, soil health, crop yield and adaptation to climate change.

The topics covered by the scope of this collection are, but are not limited to:

- SOM, soil health, and food security in a changing world.

- The role of SOM in soil structure and its influence on water retention and erosion resilience.

- Soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas dynamics in natural and agricultural ecosystems.

- The nexus among SOM, soil fertility, and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance by plants.

- Soil biota as an SOM pool and its role in climate change adaptation in agriculture.

- Management practices to build climate-smart soils and productive crops.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Case Report
• Classification
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Case Report
• Classification
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Soil organic matter (SOM), Soil health, Climate change adaptation, Soil water retention, Soil structure & erosion resilience, Soil carbon sequestration, Greenhouse gas dynamics, Climate-smart soil management practices

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.