Soil organisms account for nearly a quarter of all living species and provide important ecosystem services. Photo: rawpixel CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedicationrawpixel CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Soil damage impacts underground wildlife longer

According to a British study, in soil subject to human impact the restoration is slower organisms living underground than in surface. New perspectives in research are needed to protect biodiversity
By consuming plant material, herbivores divert potential fuel from wildfires. Photo: World Wildlife CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain DedicationWorld Wildlife CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Herbivores are a surprising ally of climate and soil

Far from being destructive, herbivores contribute to climate change mitigation, according to a new research. Their ability to prevent wildfires and return carbon and seeds to the soil is crucial
The extensive use of charcoal, which 90 percent of the population routinely uses as a cheap fuel at home, fuels deforestation in Tanzania. Photo: KelvinJM Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Photo: KelvinJM Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Charcoal and poverty fuel deforestation in Tanzania

Deforestation is a result of the national and international economic scenarios, British newspaper The Guardian writes. Environmental policies are ineffective. And the problem affects many African countries
Invertebrates, play key functions in soil balance. Photo: s shepherd Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) s shepherd Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Missing invertebrates: the UK has already lost a third of its earthworms

The biodiversity crisis is also affecting invertebrates. In the United Kingdom, says a study by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the abundance of earthworms in the soil declined by 33 to 41 percent. Poor agricultural practices are a crucial determinant
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is accused of promoting deforestation and human rights violations with his economic initiatives. Photo: Av Joka Madruga/Terra Livre Press Navngivelse 2.0 Generisk (CC BY 2.0)Av Joka Madruga/Terra Livre Press Navngivelse 2.0 Generisk (CC BY 2.0)

Out-of-control mining fuels deforestation in Venezuela

Mining exploitation in Venezuela has doubled the rate of deforestation in five years. A phenomenon fueled by guerrillas in neighboring Colombia with the acquiescence of president Maduro's government according to NGOs
Asia contains many of the most fertile soils on the planet. PHOTO: Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

Asia has its first ‘soil atlas’

It was created by the FAO Global Soil Partnership together with the Joint Research Center of the EU Commission. The tool will help to better understand the characteristics of the different soils of the continent. Among them, some of the most fertile on the planet. The food future of humanity depends on their sustainable management
Pandemic outbreak in 2020 has not slowed deforestation globally. Photo: Astro_Alex ESA/A.Gerst, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGOAstro_Alex ESA/A.Gerst, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

Global lockdowns during Covid-19 outbreak did not curb deforestation

Alliance of Biodiversity study: deforestation in 2020 followed expected trends based on historical data. A sign of how closures have not affected the phenomenon
A fungus, called Metarhizium robertsii, is reportedly able to remove mercury around plant roots. Photo: Chengshu Wang and Yuxian Xia Attribution 2.5 Generic (CC BY 2.5)Chengshu Wang and Yuxian Xia Attribution 2.5 Generic (CC BY 2.5)

Mercury pollution is not a problem (as long as we use this fungus)

A fungus that can break down mercury-based organic forms into less toxic inorganic substances protects plants by allowing them to survive in contaminated soils, a Sino-American study has found
In 2020, deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon affected 2,032 square kilometers of land, up from 548 in 2019. Photo: Shao Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)Shao Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Deforestation and drug trafficking threaten Peru’s communities

Deforestation has affected an area of 680 square kilometers between the Huánuco and Ucayali regions in the center of the country. Between 2013 and 2021, the territory lost 15 percent of its tree cover
Australia is home to some of the driest soils in the world. Photo: Peripitus Own work, copyleft: Multi-license with GFDL and Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-2.5 and older versions (2.0 and 1.0)Peripitus Own work, copyleft: Multi-license with GFDL and Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-2.5 and older versions (2.0 and 1.0)

Australia set to establish a national soil database

Starting from 2023, the new platform promoted by the government agency CSIRO will provide information on essential features such as climate change adaptation, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity

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It’s beneath our feet but we never think about its value. We tread on it, we mistreat it, but a healthy, fertile soil means life. It’s time to take care of the soil and each one of us can and must make a difference.

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