Soil is the foundation of our buildings, roads, houses, and schools. In fact, soil affects how buildings are made. At Holganix we revolutionize the way the world grows by harnessing the power of soil microbes.
Our products are used by farmers to increase crop yields and by landscapers and golf courses to reduce their need for fertilizer and pesticides. We know soils are important and we know why we should be grateful for healthy soils.
But, how do soils work? And, what does healthy soil look like? Robert Neidermyer. How the soil food web supports healthy crops.
The power behind soil microbes and what they do to build resilient crops. Soil types and how to improve the health of your soil. Topics: lawn care , sports turf , golf course , agriculture. Our Team. Agriculture Training. Marketing Tools For Landscapers. Call: Chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides — those substances on which we have staked our food security — have all been shown have devastating effects on indigenous microbial communities within soil.
Global use of agricultural chemicals occurs on an enormous scale. Problematically, only 0. The remaining A process which can take several weeks or months. Repeated application of agricultural chemicals can therefore cause long-term contamination of the humus and potentially permanent alteration of the soil microbiome.
Agricultural chemicals can alter the physiological, metabolic and biochemical behaviour of microbiota in the soil. This can disrupt the relationships between plants and microbes, decreasing nutrient bioavailability. Agricultural chemical usage has vastly different effects on different microbes. As such, the effect of pesticide and herbicide usage on microbial communities is extremely difficult to predict. Some microbial groups are able to use certain pesticides as a source of energy and nutrients, and therefore thrive upon application.
In other instances, a pesticide that is toxic to one group of microorganisms will reduce competition and allow a previously less successful species to become established in the ecosystem. However, it appears that almost all applications of agricultural chemicals lead to a long-term loss of microbiome biodiversity and soil fertility.
In addition, agricultural chemicals significantly reduce microbial infection of plant roots , therefore directly reducing nitrogen fixation and overall growth in many plant species. Soil acidification occurs at a slow rate as a natural process. However, this process is accelerated dramatically by human inputs. The removal of crops and vegetation from soil drives acidification because most agricultural products are slightly alkaline.
Their removal lowers the pH of the soil, particularly if they are not replaced. Meanwhile, leaching of nitrogen occurs when soil nitrate levels exceed the quantity that can be used by plants. When this occurs — usually following excessive or inappropriate usage of nitrogenous fertilisers — the nitrate drains below the plant root zone and into the groundwater system. This leaves the soil with a reduced pH. Increased fertiliser usage can also contribute to build-up of organic matter in soil.
This can be beneficial — in terms of impact on soil structure but it also accelerates acidification and reduces soil pH.
Increased soil acidity can limit water and nutrient availability. It can also reduce microbial activity and contribute to aluminium toxicity in soil. This has severe implications for soil fertility and agricultural production. Salinization can have serious negative impacts on soil fertility and crop yields.
Some soils are naturally saline. Although, salinization can also be driven by inappropriate management practices and poorly delivered irrigation programmes.
Salinization occurs most often in arid and semi-arid areas. It is thought to be exacerbated by climate change. This frequently occurs when insufficient rainfall drives irrigation schemes, which can lead to salinization when executed without proper planning and expertise.
There is little recent data on salinization but studies conducted in the s suggested that up to 77 million ha of land was affected by human-driven salinization. Soil contamination is driven by a range of factors that frequently introduce excessive amounts of contaminants into the soil:. Soil contamination is difficult to trace, measure and assess. They can also negatively impact biodiversity and — in the case of some organic pollutants — facilitate the spread of infectious disease.
This will work towards securing a productive food system. It will improve all livelihoods. It will lead to a healthy environment. Soil is important. Plants rely on it.
Animals need it. Both large organizations and grassroots projects are increasingly showing awareness of the issues that surround it. National and local governments are also placing a growing emphasis on the importance of soil. Similarly, charities and NGOs working at the grassroots level demonstrate that there is hope for healthier soils worldwide.
However, there is still more to be done. For example, individuals can have a huge impact. They are a range of websites and groups to learn from and join with in the fight for healthier soils. It is only by concerted action on a range of scales that we can hope to achieve healthier soils worldwide.
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