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15 Reasons Why Soil Is Important?

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Soil has several functions; it is the medium by which plants get their nutrients, stores water, and stabilize structures. Soil also provides raw materials used in construction like bricks, tiles, cement blocks, etc.

Many other benefits of soil help sustain life on earth. Here are the reasons why soil is important below.

15 Benefits Of Soil For The World

Soil is a vital component of the environment and is necessary for the growth of plants and animals. Soil provides us with food, fuel, energy, water, and other essential resources. In addition, healthy soil helps to maintain healthy ecosystems that provide us with valuable services.

Soil is also an indicator of environmental health, and the condition of the soil will determine how well the ecosystem functions. Soil conservation, therefore, requires a global effort from governments, industry, and individuals to reverse current trends that are degrading soils and to ensure their long-term productivity for future generations.

1.  Soil Is A Source Of Food And Water

Soil is a vital resource for humans and other life forms. Nearly three billion people, more than half the world’s population, depend on food grown in soil. In addition, over two billion people lack access to clean water primarily because of inadequate or polluted water supplies.

 Soil is a necessary component of the water cycle and helps to regulate water supply, prevent floods and reduce droughts. Soil is the source of food and water for plants, animals, microorganisms, and humans. It stores about 25–30 times more carbon than plants on land while the sea has a much larger capacity to store dissolved organic carbon.

Why Soil Is Important

2.  Soil Keeps Us Alive And Makes Us Happy

Soil makes up the foundation of the food chain and is the basis for plant growth. It is essential for human life and well-being. Soil provides us with oxygen, water filtration, food, raw materials for construction, and many other benefits.

3.  Soil Is A Natural Filter

Soil functions as a natural filter to clean water and remove wastes. If the nutrients in the soil are not sufficient for plants, they will be removed through bleaching. Runoff percolates into the ground and is filtered by the soil before it reaches rivers and lakes causing environmental pollution.

4. Soil Stores Carbon That Help Fight Climate Change

Carbon sequestration refers to the process of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) being removed from the atmosphere through chemical reactions with soil minerals. This is particularly important in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

Soil is a major carbon sink, holding more than three times the amount of carbon found in the atmosphere. In addition to sequestering carbon, soil also helps to control the global warming potential (GWP) of methane. The addition of soil organic matter to these environments reduces the amount of methane emitted and helps to keep global warming in check.

Reference Video – Why Is Soil So Important?

5.  Soil Provides Habitat For Wildlife

Soil provides a habitat for a wide range of plants and animals. By protecting soil, we are in effect protecting wildlife habitats around the world. Many species such as rodents, bees, and spiders help to maintain healthy ecosystems by pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds.

Soil provides a home for millions of organisms including soil fauna, insects, mycorrhizal fungi, and microbes.

6.  Soil Provides Raw Materials And Resources

Soil is a valuable resource for humans and provides raw materials for construction, fuel, energy, and other needs. Soil contains minerals, rocks, sand, and clay which can be used to make cement, glass, bricks, and other building materials.

Soil also contains organic matter that can be burned as fuel or converted into biofuel. Soil provides raw materials for construction, fuel, energy, and other needs. Soil contains minerals, rocks, sand, and clay which can be used to make cement, glass, bricks, and other building materials. Soil also contains organic matter that can be burned as fuel or converted into biofuel.

7.  Soil Provides Food Security

Crops are grown on soil that provides food for human consumption and enables us to live in peace with less risk of food shortage or famine. For example, about 90% of the world’s total cereal production is made possible by the presence of soil.

8.  Soil Provides Fuel And Energy

Soil and its organic matter store large quantities of energy and heat when they break down. The heat stored in the soil is released slowly and reduces greenhouse gases emissions from heating and cooling buildings. This releases about 10 times more energy than we get by burning fossil fuels.

9.  Soil Regulates The Earth’s Temperature

Soil influences the Earth’s climate by regulating the exchange of water and energy between the land surface and the atmosphere. The soil layer helps to cool the land surface during the day and warms it at night.

This moderates’ extreme changes in temperature, which would otherwise hurt plant growth and human welfare. Organisms in the soil and their activities help to regulate the earth’s temperature. The dark color of soil absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night. This moderates the earth’s temperature and helps to keep it within a certain range that is necessary for life.

10.  Soil Provides Plentiful And Safe Drinking Water

 Soil acts as a filter and keeps water free from harmful chemicals, heavy metals, and other pollutants. When it rains, the ground absorbs rainwater which prevents flooding and erosion of the soil. In addition, healthy soil helps to purify drinking water by removing bacteria and other pollutants.

11.  Soil Is A Reservoir Of Plant Nutrients

 Soil stores nutrients that are essential for plant growth; it provides 90% of the world’s food supply. The other source is groundwater. Both sources are estimated to be able to provide enough food for 60 years after which major changes will need to be made in food production to meet the demand.

12.  Soil Supports A Variety Of Life Forms

 Soil is home to many different types of organisms including invertebrates such as earthworms, insects, and spiders; vertebrates such as mammals and birds; and microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.

When we step on or dig into the soil, we crush some of these life forms. Soil is the foundation of life and without it, there would be no terrestrial ecosystem.

13.  Soil Promotes Plant And Animal Diversity

 Soil is rich in nutrients and provides habitat for photosynthetic organisms which are the basis of all food webs on earth. It facilitates the distribution of seeds, pollen, and spores by animals, water, and wind.

Healthy soil helps to maintain healthy ecosystems that provide us with food, oxygen, clean water, and other services.

14.  Soil Is A Source Of Renewable Energy

 When organic matter in soil decomposes it releases energy which is stored as heat or can be converted to electricity by using special machines known as biogas generators. Organic matter in the soil also helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere.

15.  Soil Is An Indicator Of Environmental Health

 Healthy soils maintain species diversity and abundance, regulate water balance, and provide other ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and filtering of pollutants. The condition of the soil is determined by various factors such as climate, vegetation, hydrology, and topography which are largely affected by human activities.

Importance Of Soil – Conclusion

Soil is a very important resource that many people take for granted. It is a vital component of the environment and is necessary for the growth of plants and animals. Soil provides us with food, fuel, energy, water, and other essential resources.

In addition, healthy soil helps to maintain healthy ecosystems that provide us with valuable services. Soil is also an indicator of environmental health and the condition of the soil will determine how well ecosystems function. Soil conservation, therefore, requires a global effort from governments, industry, and individuals to reverse current trends that are degrading soils and to ensure their long-term productivity for future generations.

References