Soil might not be sexy, but it’s as necessary for human life on Earth as oxygen. It isn’t obvious to look at, but soil is alive. A thriving community. In 1 teaspoon of healthy soil there are more bacteria, fungi and microbes than there are humans on Earth! Soil is the physical support and anchorage for plant and tree roots; it’s the place where the roots absorb moisture and nutrients, and where gaseous exchange occurs; soil filters water and regulates the release of it, which minimizes flooding; it absorbs some pollutants, maintaining the quality of groundwater; it provides the basis for some construction and manufacturing materials; it’s the habitat for essential microorganisms; and it provides a record of past environmental conditions. And it stores carbon dioxide. Lots of it. A few years ago, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) found the top 30cm of the world’s soil contains almost twice as much carbon as the atmosphere. It’s the second largest carbon sink after the oceans, outpacing the CO2 absorption by the planet’s vegetation nearly three times over. Join us in this video as we explore soil, and how it’s an undervalued and important resource on Earth.
