The Role of Soils in Sustainability, Climate Change, and Ecosystem Services: Challenges and Opportunities
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Role of Soils in Ecosystem Services and Nutrient Cycling
3. Soil and Climate Change
4. Threats to Soil and Desertification
5. Soil Sustainability and European Union’s Strategies
6. Sustainable Development and Food Production
7. Dietary Habits and Environmental Impact
8. Perspectives
9. Conclusions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Role of Soil | Description | Ecosystem Service | References |
---|---|---|---|
Support for Biodiversity | Supports diverse flora, fauna, and microorganisms driving biogeochemical processes. | Supporting | [35] |
Provisioning Services | Includes tangible products derived from soils like food, fiber, fuel, medicinal plants. | Provisioning | [15,39,40,41,42] |
Soil Health & Global Food Security | Link between soil properties, crop yield, and nutritional content. Importance of sustainable practices. | Provisioning | [15,40,41,42] |
Water Regulation | Absorbs, stores, and purifies water, influenced by factors like cation exchange capacity, porosity, and land management. | Regulating | [16,32,37,43,44] |
Climate Change Mitigation | Acts as a carbon sink through soil organic matter, mitigating greenhouse gases. | Regulating | [6,45,46] |
Nutrient Cycling | Fundamental to soil fertility, maintaining soil structure, and fostering biodiversity. | Supporting | [47] |
Cultural Services | Encompasses spiritual enrichment, intellectual development, recreation, and aesthetic enjoyment. Shapes landscapes, traditions, artistic, and spiritual endeavors. | Cultural | [48] |
Soil Degradation & Nutrient Depletion | Characterized by nutrient depletion, loss of organic matter, and disruption of structure, leading to land degradation. | - | [6,11,42,49] |
Strategic Soil Management | Need to prioritize sustainable soil management, including conservation, reducing degradation, and restoration. Fundamental to continued provision of ecosystem services and nutrient cycling. | - | [17,32,33,34,49] |
Threat | Description | Solutions | References |
---|---|---|---|
Desertification | Gradual infertility due to drought, deforestation, inappropriate agricultural practices, leading to reduced agricultural productivity. | Integration of traditional knowledge, scientific research, modern technologies, effective policies. | [2,21,65,66,67] |
Soil Acidification and Alkalinization | Variations in soil pH due to climate change and human activities, leading to acidification and alkalinization in different regions and depths. | Sustainable soil management and conservation practices that address complex pH dynamics. | [15,69,70,71] |
Erosion | Removal of fertile topsoil layer affecting the soil’s ability to retain water, nutrients, organic matter, impacting agriculture and water quality. | Sustainable land management, erosion control techniques. | [16,74,75] |
Loss of Organic Matter | Decline in organic content, affecting soil health and fertility. | Organic farming, addition of organic matter. | [43,72,73] |
Compaction & Salinization | Compression of soil, reducing pore space, affecting root growth and water infiltration. Salinization affects fertility and plant growth. | Proper irrigation management, crop rotation, and use of gypsum. | [43,72,73] |
Landslides & Contamination | Landslides disturb soil layers and ecosystems; contamination from pollutants affects soil quality and safety. | Slope stabilization, reforestation, and proper waste management. | [43,72,73] |
Soil Sealing | Covering soil with impermeable materials, leading to permanent loss of soil functions and degradation of habitats, often due to urbanization. | Implementing land take targets, urban planning to preserve soil functions. | [76,77] |
Overexploitation & Intensive Farming | Overuse of soil for agriculture, improper irrigation, and excessive farming lead to degradation. | Sustainable farming practices, proper irrigation methods, diversification of crops, reducing industrial pollution, and urban planning. | [43,72,73] |
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Telo da Gama, J. The Role of Soils in Sustainability, Climate Change, and Ecosystem Services: Challenges and Opportunities. Ecologies 2023, 4, 552-567. https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies4030036
Telo da Gama J. The Role of Soils in Sustainability, Climate Change, and Ecosystem Services: Challenges and Opportunities. Ecologies. 2023; 4(3):552-567. https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies4030036
Chicago/Turabian StyleTelo da Gama, José. 2023. "The Role of Soils in Sustainability, Climate Change, and Ecosystem Services: Challenges and Opportunities" Ecologies 4, no. 3: 552-567. https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies4030036