Why soil is one of the most amazing things on Earth | BBC Ideas

Summary

Soil is a vastly underrated and complex ecosystem teeming with microorganisms, each gram hosting up to 50,000 species. These organisms produce antibiotic compounds, forming the basis for many medicines. Earthworms and fungi contribute to soil health and fertility through symbiotic relationships. Soil, a slow-to-form resource, is also a significant carbon store, capturing three times more carbon than all Earth's vegetation combined. However, intensive farming and lack of protection are leading to soil degradation, with 60-70% of European soils deemed unhealthy. Despite its importance, soil lacks champions and is often overlooked, hiding a world of untapped potential and secrets beneath our feet.

Takeaways

• 🌱 Soil is a highly underrated and complex ecosystem, teeming with life and microorganisms.
• 🔬 In a single gram of soil, there could be up to 50,000 species of microorganisms.
• 🌍 A teaspoon of soil contains more microorganisms than there are people on Earth.
• 💊 Many of the antibiotics we use are derived from antibiotic compounds produced by soil microorganisms.
• 🐛 Earthworms play a crucial role in soil health by creating breathing holes and aiding plant root growth.
• 🍄 Soil hosts intricate networks of fungal threads that engage in a mutualistic relationship with plants.
• 🌿 Plants and fungi exchange carbon for nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, supporting each other's growth.
• 🍃 Decaying plant matter provides a food source for microbes, which in turn feed worms and other creatures.
• 🕰️ Soil formation is a slow process, taking over 100 years to form just 5 millimeters, making it precious and vulnerable.
• 🌳 Soil acts as a significant carbon store, holding three times more carbon than all Earth's plants combined.
• ⚠️ Intensive farming practices are leading to soil degradation and loss of stored carbon at an alarming rate.

Q & A

Why is soil considered an underrated and little-understood wonder?

Soil is considered an underrated and little-understood wonder because it is teeming with life, containing up to 50,000 species of microorganisms in a single gram, yet much of what lies beneath is still alien to us.

How does the number of microorganisms in a teaspoon of soil compare to the world's population?

In a single teaspoon of soil, there are more microorganisms than there are people on Earth, highlighting the immense biodiversity within soil.

What role do soil microorganisms play in human medicine?

Soil microorganisms produce antibiotic compounds as part of their evolutionary competition, which form the basis of many antibiotics used by humans, essentially allowing us to make medicine from our soil.

What is the significance of earthworms in the history of the world according to Darwin?

Darwin believed that earthworms have played an important part in the history of the world due to their role in making and sustaining soil by creating breathing holes and providing space for plant roots to grow.

How do plants and fungi interact in a mutually beneficial relationship?

Plants and fungi have a symbiotic relationship where plants provide fungi with carbon to grow, and in return, fungi provide plants with nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which they are better at mining from the soil.

Why is soil important for human sustenance?

Soil is important for human sustenance because it provides us with almost everything we eat by supporting plant growth and being part of the interconnected ecosystem.

How long does it take to form 5 millimeters of soil and why is this significant?

It takes more than 100 years to build just 5 millimeters of soil, which is significant because soil is easily destroyed through chemical contamination, urbanization, landslides, and erosion, and it grows very slowly.

What is the age of the oldest soil on Earth and where is it located?

The oldest soil on Earth is thought to be in South Africa and dates back three billion years, indicating the ancient and precious nature of soil.

How does soil act as a carbon store and why is this important?

Soil acts as a valuable carbon store by capturing carbon and locking it away in stable forms deep underground. It stores three times as much carbon as all the plants on Earth combined, including trees, making it crucial for mitigating climate change.

What are some of the major threats to soil health mentioned in the script?

Major threats to soil health include intensive farming, which releases carbon from the soil, and other factors such as chemical contamination, urbanization, landslides, and erosion, leading to soil degradation and loss of carbon.

Why is it crucial to protect soil and what are the consequences of not doing so?

It is crucial to protect soil because it is a slow-growing and valuable resource that supports life, stores carbon, and is a vital part of the nitrogen and carbon cycles. Not protecting soil can lead to loss of biodiversity, reduced agricultural productivity, and increased greenhouse gas emissions.