Soil Organic Carbon – the treasure beneath our feet

Summary

Soil holds a hidden treasure: organic matter that sustains plant growth, stores water, and captures carbon from the atmosphere. While human activities have led to the degradation of soils, releasing massive amounts of carbon, much more remains beneath the surface, holding potential to combat climate change. Sustainable soil management practices can protect and enhance soil carbon, offering a significant opportunity to mitigate emissions, restore soil fertility, and boost biodiversity. By rehabilitating degraded soils, we could remove up to 50 gigatons of carbon, making soil a key player in the fight against climate change.

Takeaways

• 😀 Soil is one of the world's largest and most valuable treasures, containing vast amounts of organic matter essential for plant growth and soil fertility.
• 🌍 Soil organic matter increases the ability of soil to store and release nutrients, water, and air, supporting plant health and food production.
• 🌱 Soil organic carbon, stored in soil through plant roots and decomposition, plays a crucial role in capturing carbon from the atmosphere and mitigating climate change.
• ⚖️ Degradation of one-third of the world's soils has already released up to 100 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
• 🌍 Almost double the carbon in the atmosphere (1,417 gigatons) is stored in the first meter of soil across the globe.
• 💨 Loss of soil organic matter leads to higher carbon emissions and accelerates global warming, making soil conservation crucial for climate action.
• 🛠️ Soil management practices are essential for protecting and increasing soil organic carbon stocks to help reduce carbon emissions.
• 🌿 Many sustainable soil management practices have already been proven to preserve and boost soil organic carbon levels.
• 💧 Specific regions like peatlands, permafrost soils, and black soils are especially vulnerable to carbon losses and need targeted protection.
• 💡 Governments must support land users to implement sustainable soil management practices, providing significant opportunities for environmental restoration.
• 🌍 Rehabilitating degraded soils can remove up to 50 gigatons of carbon from the atmosphere, offering a powerful tool to combat climate change.

Q & A

What is considered the world's largest treasure according to the script?

The world's largest treasure is soil, specifically the organic matter it contains, which is essential for soil health, fertility, and carbon storage.

Why is soil organic matter important for plant growth?

Soil organic matter increases soil porosity, allowing it to store water and air necessary for plant roots, thereby supporting plant growth.

How does soil organic matter capture carbon from the atmosphere?

Plants fix organic carbon into soils through debris, roots, and fluid. Soil fauna then break down these residues into soil organic matter, part of which remains as soil organic carbon.

What happens when soil organic matter is lost due to human activities?

When soil organic matter is lost, it releases carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to increased carbon emissions and accelerating climate change.

How much carbon has been released from soil degradation, according to the script?

Soil degradation has already released up to 100 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere.

How much carbon remains in the first meter of soil worldwide?

An estimated 1,417 gigatons of carbon remain in the first meter of soil across the globe, almost double the carbon in the atmosphere.

What are some of the vulnerable soil types mentioned in the script?

Vulnerable soil types that are prone to carbon losses include peatlands, permafrost soils, and black soils.

Why are grasslands important for carbon storage?

Grasslands store more than double the amount of carbon compared to all other agricultural areas, making them significant for carbon sequestration.

What role do drylands play in carbon storage?

Although drylands have low carbon content per square meter, they cover a large surface area, contributing substantially to global carbon storage.

How can soil management practices help in carbon sequestration?

Sustainable soil management practices can preserve and enhance soil organic carbon levels, helping sequester more carbon and mitigate climate change.

What are the benefits of preserving and boosting soil organic carbon?

Preserving and boosting soil organic carbon can enhance resilience to extreme events, restore soil fertility, provide cleaner water, nutritious food, and preserve biodiversity.