Soil is like the Earth’s skin, providing a foundation for plants, animals, and humans. It’s crucial for life, but we often don’t treat it well. Normally, soil can take care of itself. As plants and animals decompose, and rocks break down, new soil forms at about the same rate that wind and water wear it away. However, this balance can be easily upset.
On the small Pacific island of Mangaia, fertile soil covered the land for thousands of years. When humans arrived about 2000 years ago, they used slash-and-burn farming, which exposed the soil to rain and wind. Over time, much of the nutrient-rich topsoil was washed away from the hillsides, leaving only a few valleys suitable for farming. This led to conflicts over these limited resources, and people had to find new ways to get food.
Today, we face similar issues worldwide. Our farming methods often involve removing deep-rooted plants and using tools like plows and tractors, which loosen the soil and make it prone to erosion. We also tend to grow shallow-rooted crops that don’t hold the soil well, leaving fields bare for much of the year.
As a result, soil is being lost from farmlands at a rate 50 times faster than it can be naturally replaced. This erosion is like moving 8 billion pickup trucks of soil each year from fields to less productive areas, such as riverbeds and behind dams. This loss reduces global crop yields, similar to losing a California-sized area of farmland every ten years.
Thankfully, there are ways to help restore the balance between soil erosion and formation. Farmers can reduce plowing and leave plant residues or plant cover crops after harvest to protect the soil. Adding trees or native plants can also help keep the soil stable throughout the year. These methods can reduce erosion by up to 95%, leading to better crop yields in the long run. However, in the short term, these practices might reduce yields because adding other vegetation means less space for crops. This has slowed the adoption of these soil-saving strategies.
If we don’t take care of our soil, we might not face an immediate crisis, but we could see more competition for the fertile land that remains. It’s essential to adopt better soil management practices to ensure a sustainable future for agriculture.
In relation to soil health, companies like Soylent are creating foods that require fewer resources to produce. Their products, like Coffiest, use nutrients from algae grown in fermentation tanks instead of traditional crops. This approach helps conserve soil and water. Plus, for every case of Coffiest sold, Soylent donates a meal to someone in need through the World Food Program USA. For more information and a discount on your first purchase, visit their website. Thank you, Soylent!
Conduct a simple experiment to observe soil erosion. Use trays filled with soil and simulate rain using a watering can. Tilt the trays at different angles to see how the slope affects erosion. Record your observations and discuss how this relates to real-world farming practices.
Research the history of Mangaia and create a presentation on how slash-and-burn farming affected the island’s soil. Discuss the long-term impacts on the community and compare them to modern-day soil challenges.
Imagine you are a farmer tasked with reducing soil erosion on your land. Create a detailed plan that includes strategies like planting cover crops, reducing plowing, and adding trees. Present your plan to the class and explain how it could improve soil health.
Participate in a class debate on the pros and cons of traditional farming methods versus modern techniques that prioritize soil conservation. Prepare arguments for both sides and discuss the potential impacts on soil health and crop yields.
Investigate companies like Soylent that are developing food products with minimal soil impact. Create a report on how these innovations could contribute to soil conservation and present your findings to the class.
Soil is the literal foundation for much of life, yet we often treat it poorly. This may be because, most of the time, soil takes care of itself; decomposing plants and animals, along with degrading bedrock, produce new soil at a pace that roughly matches the erosion caused by wind and water. However, this balance between soil formation and erosion can be easily disrupted.
For millennia, the tiny Pacific island of Mangaia was covered in a thin layer of fertile soil. After humans arrived around 2000 years ago, their slash-and-burn agriculture exposed the soil to the elements. Over several centuries, rain and wind eroded much of the nutrient-rich topsoil from Mangaia’s hillsides, concentrating it in just a few arable valleys, which led to conflict over these limited resources. With less land to grow crops, people turned to alternative food sources.
Today, we face similar challenges worldwide—not in the extreme sense of conflict over food, but in how we manage our soil. Our agricultural practices often involve clearing away deep-rooted native vegetation and using tools like hoes, plows, and tractors to loosen the soil, making it more susceptible to erosion. Additionally, we primarily grow shallow-rooted crops that do not effectively hold onto soil, leaving fields bare for much of the year.
As a result, the world’s farmlands lose soil at a rate 50 times faster than new soil can form. This erosion amounts to about 8 billion pickup trucks of soil being moved annually from fields to less productive areas, such as the bottoms of rivers and behind dams. The loss of soil reduces global crop yields significantly, comparable to removing a California-sized area of farmland from production every decade.
Fortunately, we have strategies to restore balance between erosion and soil formation. These include reducing the frequency of plowing and leaving plant residues or planting cover crops after harvest to protect the soil from wind and water. Incorporating trees or native plants can also help stabilize the soil year-round. Implementing these strategies can reduce erosion by as much as 95 percent, ultimately supporting higher crop yields in the long run. However, in the short term, these practices may reduce yields since adding other vegetation means less space for crops. This has led to a slow adoption of soil-saving strategies.
If we cannot maintain the quality of our farmable soil, human civilization may not face immediate collapse, but we could see increased competition for the limited fertile land that remains.
In relation to soil health, this video was sponsored by Soylent, a line of nutritionally complete, convenient foods that require fewer resources to produce, as many of their core nutrients come from algae grown in fermentation tanks rather than traditional crops. Their newest product, Coffiest, offers a coffee-flavored, algae-based meal in a bottle to help start your day. Additionally, Soylent has partnered with the World Food Program USA to donate a meal to someone in need for every case of Coffiest sold. For more information, visit their website for a discount on your first purchase. Thank you, Soylent!
Soil – The upper layer of earth in which plants grow, consisting of a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms. – Farmers need healthy soil to grow crops that can feed the population.
Erosion – The process by which natural forces like water, wind, or ice wear away rocks and soil. – Planting trees can help prevent soil erosion by holding the soil in place with their roots.
Farming – The activity or business of growing crops and raising livestock. – Sustainable farming practices help protect the environment and ensure food security.
Nutrients – Substances that provide nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life. – Plants absorb nutrients from the soil to grow and produce food.
Conservation – The protection and preservation of natural resources to prevent their depletion. – Conservation efforts are crucial to maintaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.
Agriculture – The science, art, and practice of cultivating the soil, growing crops, and raising animals for food, fiber, and other products. – Advances in agriculture have increased food production to meet the demands of a growing population.
Crops – Plants grown in large quantities for food, fuel, or other economic purposes. – Corn and wheat are two of the most important crops grown around the world.
Health – The state of being free from illness or injury, often related to the well-being of ecosystems and organisms. – The health of a forest ecosystem can be measured by its biodiversity and the presence of native species.
Balance – A state of equilibrium or equal distribution, often referring to ecological balance in nature. – Maintaining a balance between predators and prey is essential for a healthy ecosystem.
Resources – Natural materials or substances that can be used by humans for economic gain or survival. – Water, minerals, and forests are vital resources that need to be managed sustainably.
