Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity

In building resilient and sustainable food systems, issues bordering on the protection of soil resources must be at the fore of high-level stakeholder dialogues. Soils have been unequivocally described as being fundamental to life on earth¹, the very foundation of our food production², the cradle of civilization³, the skin of the earth⁴, the most biologically diverse material on earth⁵, and ultimately, the heart of agriculture⁶. However, the optimal functioning of soils in line with the aforementioned description is dependent on healthy soil biodiversity. 

Soil biodiversity refers to the variety of life below ground with diversities that encompass their genus, species, and the communities they form as well as the ecological complexes (including soil micro-habitats and landscapes⁷) to which they contribute and belong. 

Succinctly, soil biodiversity is the community of microorganisms present in the soil. Examples of these organisms are earthworms, spiders, woodlice, termites, crickets, moles, ants, algae, fungi, bacteria, and protozoa.

Image source: http://blog.actuaries.org.uk/blog/biodiversity-risk-natural-capital-and-actuarial-practice 

In enabling the soil to perform optimally, microorganisms hold soil particles together, as well as break down and circulate nutrients in the soil. Microorganisms also improve the nutrient content of food and subsequently improves human health. This occurs when plant-based antioxidants which are nutritionally beneficial to the human body are produced through micro-organisms. By breaking down organic pollutants and maintaining a complex food web involving series of exchanges, the community of microorganisms in the soil additionally contributes to climate change adaptation and mitigation⁸. 

Quick Facts: 

 There are more microorganisms in the soil than there are humans on earth. In this context, the phrase “the more the merrier” literally comes to mind. It is expected that healthy soils will contain unquantifiable amounts of microorganisms for optimal performance;

 Only 1% of microorganisms in the soil have been discovered¹⁰;

 In an area the size of a football field, soil organisms produce organic matter equivalent to the weight of 25 cars every year¹⁰.

Drivers of soil biodiversity loss:

Despite the many benefits of microorganisms in the soil, human-related soil degradation activities continue to pose major threats to the optimal utilization of these benefits. Some of these human-related activities include poorly planned urbanization and rapid encroachment on productive soils, deforestation, bush burning, misguided fertilizer application, uncontrolled exploitation of marginal soils, intense agricultural activities, pollution, desertification, and erosion.  FAO has summarily identified five (5) main drivers of soil biodiversity loss to include;

i. Land use change (this may be driven by urbanization);

ii. Invasive species (predatory microorganisms that destroy economically beneficial microorganisms present in the soil);

iii. Unsustainable soil management practices;

iv. Pollution and soil sealing and

v. Urbanization.

How to keep soils alive

As a steward for healthy soils, I continue to plant and encourage my neighbors to plant trees as an effort towards living sustainably by growing a greener environment, I engage in soil research and ensure that I reduce and reuse waste materials. This is because the preservation of soil biodiversity for optimal soil performance would require an active engagement in sustainable practices by every living human on earth. Therefore, a summary of actions targeted at keeping soils alive as promoted by FAO include to;

i. Live sustainably by growing greener cities,

ii. Invest in research on soil biodiversity,

iii. Engage in sustainable soil management (e.g. planting cover crops, practicing crop rotation in places where land is available, providing habitat for beneficial insects,

iv. Serve as stewards for soils by constantly advocating for living soils and

v. Reducing, reuse and recycle materials to lessen stress on soils.

 

References

1. FAO and ITPS (2015): Status of World’s Soil Resources (SWSR) - Technical Summary. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, Rome, Italy 

2. ISRIC World Soil Information: Soils and Food Security. Available at https://www.isric.org/utilise/global-issues/food-security#:~:text=Soils%20are%20at%20the%20very,intensified%20due%20to%20increasing%20pressure.&text=ISRIC%20creates%20and%20maintains%20soil,of%20policy%2D%20and%20decision%20making. 

3. GeoExpro (2006): Mesopotamia - The Cradle of Civilization. GeoExpro Magazine Vol. 3, No.

2. Available at https://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2006/02/mesopotamia-the-cradle-of-civilization 

4. Soil Science Society of Ameria: Soil4kids - What is Soil? Available at https://www.soils4kids.org/about#:~:text=What%20is%20Soil%3F,vital%20to%20life%20on%20earth. 

5. NSW Government (2018): Soil Biodiversity. Available at https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/land-and-soil/soil-degradation/soil-biodiversity 

6. The James Hutton Institute: Soils@Hutton - Soil and Food Security. Available at https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/soilshutton/soil-and-food-security

7. FAO (2020): The Role of Soil Organisms in Ensuring Sustainable Agri-Food Systems and Mitigating Climate Change. Food and Agriculture Organisation News Report available at http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1339016/icode/#:~:text=The%20new%20FAO%20report%20defines,soil%20micro%2Dhabitats%20to%20landscapes. 

8. FAO, ITPS, GSBI, SCBD and EC. 2020. State of knowledge of soil biodiversity – Status, challenges and potentialities, Summary for policymakers. Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb1929en 

 

9. European Union (2010): The Factory of Life - Why Soil Biodiversity is Important. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/environment/archives/soil/pdf/soil_biodiversity_brochure_en.pdf

The Author

Ogbole Esther

 ''As an agriculture enthusiast, I have long had a passion for contributing my quota to the growth and development of the Nigeria agricultural sector and this birthed an interest in research to see what and how precisely agricultural strategies are implemented in developed economies of the world and how they can be adapted to suit the Nigerian scenario''.