Soils are interdisciplinary materials, characterized by geological, (micro)biological, biogeochemical, hydrological, and geophysical processes, which take place from the surface down to bedrock. Only by considering these processes down the whole soil profile can we fully anticipate how soils will respond to global change. Research into the spatial and temporal variability of properties from the surface to bedrock, as well as the implications on environment and ecosystem interactions, is crucial for advancing our understanding of the whole soil system.

This interdisciplinary session invites contributions that investigate properties, functions, and services down the whole soil profile. Topics may include (but are not limited to):

1. Mapping and characterising soil thickness and structure using geophysical, geospatial, and field-based approaches.
2. Deep soil biology and geobiology, revealing the distribution of microbial communities and processes, particularly across the soil-bedrock continuum.
3. Biogeochemical cycling, mineral weathering, and nutrient availability with depth.
4. Carbon stocks and stabilisation across soil and bedrock, and the role that subsoil geochemical environments play in carbon dynamics.
5. Hydrological processes through the soil profile, interactions with groundwater and surface waters, and issues of deep soil contamination.

We encourage contributions from a wide range of EGU Divisions, including but not limited to Soil System Sciences, Biogeosciences, Energy Resources and the Environment, Geochemistry Mineralogy Petrology and Volcanology, and Hydrological Sciences. This session aims to inspire cross-disciplinary approaches to understand soil systems as central to Earth’s future.