Ever thought how the world would be if we don’t have soil? Well, if the soil would not be there then the world would not be existent as the food that keeps us all alive is a gift of the Soil.
#WorldSoilDay is marked to address sustainable practices in the management of #soil and to raise awareness about soil erosion. #StopSoilErosion pic.twitter.com/6QukDRz16L
— The Weather Channel India (@weatherindia) December 5, 2019
Isn’t it strange that the thing that is most important for our survival is the one we knew the least about. As we celebrate World Soil Day today we bring to your knowledge some of the interesting facts related to it that you might not be knowing before this. Let’s go
It’s A Living System
Yes just like plants, animals, you and me Soil is a living system in its own. It houses a number of microorganisms like earthworms, nematodes, mites, insects, etc. Many of these microorganisms contribute to the fertility of the soil.
A tablespoon of soil contains more than seven billion organisms – which is more than the number of people inhabiting the planet Earth. Shocking right?
Also Read: Every Indian To Get E-Passport, Powered By Chip, Here’s All You Need To Know About It
Carbon Storehouse
Carbon whose compounds like CO2 have become an agent of climate change and global warming is stored by soils in quantities more then what the sum total of green biomass that is plants can hold.
Plants are known to use carbon in the form of its compound CO2, however more than what they can store or utilize is absorbed and held together by the soil. This stored Carbon is delivered by the soil to the crops and plants that grow on it.
Prevents Floods And Droughts
Floods and Drought go on to kill thousands of people each year while destroying property and crops. With enhanced soil cover we can prevent the occurrence of frequent events of floods and droughts.
One hectare of soil can store one and a half Olympic swimming pools full of water in it and with an increase in its organic content the water holding capacity increases. A 1% increase of organic matter in the top 6 inches of soil enables it to store 27,000 gallons of additional water per acre.
Also Read: Watch: In Pakistan, Trees Produce Oxygen At Night!! Ye Hum Nhi Imran Khan Keh Rahe Hai
Lot’s In Here For Exploration
While you might think that scientists have done it all in decoding the mystery of soil then my friend you are wrong. There is plenty to explore when it comes to the soil. As of now only 1% of soil micro-organisms found in soil have been identified.
This leaves a lot to be studied and researched about the soil and the organism it houses to decode what more benefits it has for us.
Also Read: India 5th Most Vulnerable Country To Climate change -Report
We Are Losing This Life Supportive Resource
A worrisome and threatening fact about the soil is that we are losing this precious resource and we are losing it pretty fast. Both anthropological and natural activities are eating away this top layer of earth.
The idea of the loss can be identified from the fact that ‘every minute we are losing fertile soil equivalent of 30 football pitches and the rate of diminishing is increasing with time.
