Soil health

Infobox soil health

Soils are the basis of our lives. They store water and nutrients for good plant growth, provide a habitat for a variety of living organisms, act as a filter for pollutants to ensure clean drinking water, and can sequester CO₂ from the atmosphere in the form of humus over the long term. Their ability to absorb and store water also ensures a balanced water regime in the landscape. Intact soils can therefore mitigate flooding. Depending on the parent rock, climate, vegetation, relief and length of time the soil has been formed, a wide variety of soil types with very different properties have developed. But that’s not all.

Soils are alive!

In fact, the diversity of species in the soil is greater than on the surface because the soil is a hotspot for microorganisms. These are the masters of recycling and are essential for a functioning nutrient cycle. The term „soil health“ is intended to emphasise that soils are not only a very valuable resource, but also living ecosystems with which we are intimately connected.

However, soils around the world are increasingly threatened by human activities. Pollution, salinisation, compaction, erosion and loss of humus and biodiversity are taking their toll on our soils. Last but not least, the amount of sealed surfaces in Austria is increasing rapidly, leading to a complete loss of soil ecosystem services. It is therefore important to protect our soils in the best possible way! For example, by promoting soil-conserving cultivation methods (e.g. greening of arable land, mulching and direct seeding), a positive trend in the humus content of Austrian fields can now be observed.