Skip to content

The importance of soils

The soils of the planet are essential for the maintenance of the biosphere (the part of the Earth where life exists), as well as for the regulation of the climate. They perform important functions such as sustenance of agricultural and livestock productions or carbon storage. There are different types of soil, but, in general, they are composed of more than 90% mineral matter, while the rest is organic matter, most of which is fungi, algae, bacteria and actinobacteria, which perform important functions such as renewing the reserve of nutrients in the soil, that is, to preserve its fertility. To those we have already mentioned, in the following article we will talk about the importance of soils .

You may also be interested in: What is the importance of ecosystems

Benefits of soils for the environment

From an ecological point of view, soils offer several benefits for the environment :

  • They produce biomass that serves as food
  • They give energy to some living beings
  • It filters, regulates and transforms the matter it absorbs, such as water, protecting it (to a certain extent) from contamination.
  • It is also where many species of plants and animals live.

Soil degradation

If soils are degraded, the environment is degraded from its very base, that is, it is something that will affect the entire environment sooner or later. Soil degradation occurs, above all, by human activity . From the deposition of atmospheric pollutants, uncontrolled spills or spills due to accidents of hydrocarbons and other polluting substances, to the improper storage of industrial products, the dumping of urban waste or the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, all of this damages the soil with dire long-term consequences.

Consequences of soil loss

In addition, the increase in extensive agriculture and urban overexpansion cause the original soils to be lost. Likewise, the process (natural or not) of desertification has as a consequence the definitive loss of productive soils.

Finally, it can be pointed out that one of the greatest benefits of soils is the amount of carbon dioxide they retain. If CO2 and other soil gases were released into the atmosphere, climate change would accelerate so fast that it would probably destroy today’s civilization. Thus, not keeping the soils in good condition can lead to economic and social problems, such as generation of conflicts over water, poverty, reduction of essential resources, low agricultural production, hunger, marginalization or forced emigration.

Maria Anderson
+ posts

Hello, I am a blogger specialized in environmental, health and scientific dissemination issues in general. The best way to define myself as a blogger is by reading my texts, so I encourage you to do so. Above all, if you are interested in staying up to date and reflecting on these issues, both on a practical and informative level.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *