Abstract
Soil degradation can take many forms, from erosion to salinization to the overall depletion of organic matter. The expression of soil degradation is broad, and so too are the causes. As the world population nears eight billion, and the environmental uncertainty of climate change becomes more manifest, the importance of our soil resources will only increase. The goal of this paper is to synthesize the catalysts of soil degradation and to highlight the interconnected nature of the social and economic causes of soil degradation. An expected three billion people will enter the middle class in the next 20 years; this will lead to an increased demand for meat, dairy products, and consequently grain. As populations rise so do the economic incentives to convert farmland to other purposes. With the intensity and frequency of droughts and flooding increasing, consumer confidence and the ability of crops to reach yield goals are also threatened. In a time of uncertainty, conservation measures are often the first to be sacrificed. In short, we are compromising our soil resources when we need them the most.
Highlights
The year 2015 has been declared the International Year of Soils by the United Nations (UN).The goal is to raise global awareness of the importance of soil for food security, climate adaptability and ecosystem functioning
Inspired by the UN’s declaration, this paper serves to acknowledge the vital role that soil plays in our ecosystem, with particular emphasis on the increasingly significant role that degraded soils will play as the global population rises, and resources are stressed by climate instability [1]
More output will be required of our soil resources, which in turn may increase the rate of soil degradation
Summary
The year 2015 has been declared the International Year of Soils by the United Nations (UN). Inspired by the UN’s declaration, this paper serves to acknowledge the vital role that soil plays in our ecosystem, with particular emphasis on the increasingly significant role that degraded soils will play as the global population rises, and resources are stressed by climate instability [1]. Often, when uncertainty is looming, such as a fluctuating climate and an unclear ability to meet demand, soil conservation measures are the first to be sacrificed in order to reach yield goals. This near-sighted approach compromises our soil resources when we need them the most. As more output is demanded of our soil, and climate volatility compromises the ability to meet this demand, maintaining healthy soils will only become more difficult, but more necessary
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