Role of Soil Multifunctionality in Future Sustainable Agricultural Development

Abstract

Soils represent a considerable part of the natural resources of Hungary. Consequently, rational land use and proper soil management - to guarantee normal soil functions - are important elements of sustainable (agricultural) development, having special importance both in the national economy and in environment protection. The main soil functions in the biosphere are as follows: -conditionally renewable natural resource; -reactor, transformer and integrator of the combined influences of other natural resources (solar -radiation, atmosphere, surface and subsurface waters, biological resources), site of “sphereinteractions”; -medium for biomass production, primary food-source of the biosphere; -storage of heat, water, plant nutrients and - in some special cases - wastes; -high capacity buffer medium, which may prevent or moderate the unfavourable consequences of various environmental stresses; -natural filter and detoxication system, which may protect the deeper geological formations and the subsurface waters from various pollutants; -significant gene reservoir, an important element of biodiversity; -conservator of natural and human heritages. Society has utilized these functions in different ways (rate, method, efficiency) throughout history, depending on the given natural conditions and socio-economic circumstances. In many cases the character of the particular functions has not been properly taken into consideration during the utilization of soil resources, and misguided management has resulted in their over-exploitation, in the decreasing efficiency of one or more soil functions, and - above a certain limit - in serious environmental deterioration. The scientifically based planning and implementation of sustainable land use and rational soil management to ensure desirable soil functions, without any undesirable environmental side-effects, require the efficient control of soil processes.