Earth Matters: How soil underlies civilization | Richard Bardgett

 

Richard Bardgett is a Professor of Ecology and has published widely on plant and soil interactions, nutrient cycling and soil ecology. In Earth Matters he describes the importance of soil, the many ways in which we depend on it, and how humans have worked with the soil throughout history.

It is easy to overlook the important role soil has for human life, yet entire societies have risen, and collapsed, through the management or mismanagement of soil; the Great Dusk Bowl in the United States testimony to the devastating consequences of mismanagement.

Bardgett analyses the role soil plays in our own lives, despite increasing urbanisation, and in the biogeochemical cycles that allow the planet to function effectively, Bardgett considers how superior soil management could combat global issues such as climate change, food shortages, and the extinction of species. Looking to the future, he argues it is vital for the future of humanity for governments worldwide to halt soil degradation, and to put in place policies for the future sustainable management of soils.