Future perspectives on the environment and human health interactions

Abstract

Publisher Summary At the meeting point of the atmosphere, the biosphere, the lithosphere, and the hydrosphere, soils play a central role in supporting life on the earth. The health of the soil ecosystem is controlled by the equilibrium that exists between the mineral and organic, living and non-living soil components. The study discussed in this chapter examines and discusses recent knowledge in the areas of the mineral-organic matter-microorganisms interactions in the soil, the understanding of the soil ecosystem in space and time, and its functioning. Inorganic and organic soil components, because of specific surface properties are interacting with the heavy metals and xenobiotics. The dynamics, mobility, availability, and fate of such toxic ions and molecules are largely controlled by the soil microorganisms. The management and transformation of soils for human activities, in particular food production, have major impacts on the mineral–organic interactions, and this is discussed in the chapter from the points of view of soil physical condition and nutrient dynamics.