Did you know that it could take a thousand years for an inch of topsoil to form? We often consider the soil beneath our feet as just dirt. But without soil, life as we know it cannot exist. It is a multilayered system providing nutrients for plants and a comfortable home for small creatures. It is the basis of thousands of food chains. There is more to soil than meets the eye.
There are different types of soil based on the size of the grains. Soil is derived from rocks. A rock breaks into small pieces due to weathering – physical and chemical. Once a rock starts to crack, plants can take root in the crevices. The plants break the rock further into smaller pieces by root action and start to add organic matter. Due to chemical weathering the rock is further turned into sand, silt, and clay particles. There are different layers in soil that serve different purposes.
Why does soil matter?
- Soil influences the distribution of plant species and provides a habitat for a wide range of organisms.
- It controls chemical substances between the atmosphere and the earth. With every rain, a part of the soil air (gases found in the air space between soil components) moves out into the atmosphere. Organic carbon in soil is also transferred to the atmosphere through the respiration of organisms that live underneath. It is believed that as the planet warms, soil adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, as activities of microorganisms increase with hotter temperature.
- Soil acts as a drainage system. It absorbs water and prevents flooding. Minerals and microorganisms in the soil detoxify the water of pollutants.
- Soil constantly changes and responds to changes in the environment, often triggered by human activities.
How to protect soil
- Preventing erosion, acidification, or other chemical soil contamination must be the focus of soil conservation.
- Planting of saplings and buffer strips will slow down water runoff and trap sediment. This will help prevent soil erosion.
- Fewer concrete surfaces should be maintained to enable water to percolate into soil.
- Crop rotation, which refers to the planting of a series of different crops in the same soil, prevents overgrowth of pathogens and keep the soil fertile without the use of chemicals.
- Preventing industrial effluent discharge and proper solid waste management will go a long way in keeping soil pollution in check.
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