Mineral weathering and element cycling in soil-microorganism-plant system

Soil is an essential part of the critical zone, and soil-microbe-plant system serves as a key link among lithosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere. As one of the habitats with the richest biodiversity, soil plays a critical role in element biogeochemistry on the earth surface (weathered crust). Here we review the soil biological processes that are relevant to mineral weathering, element cycling, and transformation, with an emphasis on rock weathering mediated by soil microbes, plant root and the rhizosphere.