Soil biodiversity and human health

Wall, Diana H.; Nielsen, Uffe N.; Six, Johan

doi:10.1038/nature15744

Cited by 606 publications

(397 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…The ability of soils, including urban soils, to sequester carbon and nitrogen is among the most important soil ecosystem services (see reviews by Pataki et al, 2006;Barrios, 2007;Churkina et al, 2010;Pouyat et al, 2010;Wall et al, 2015). Based on elemental concentrations, we showed-to our knowledge for the first time-that urban park soils in the northern climatic zone are rich in C and N and, importantly, that plant functional groups can control their concentrations for decades and even centuries.…”

Section: Vegetation and Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Besides providing a substrate for plant growth, soils are vital in, e.g., the provision of clean water (Valtanen et al, 2014), recharging groundwater reservoirs (Glynn and Plummer, 2005), detoxification of harmful substances (Lehmann and Stahr, 2007), and storing soil organic matter (carbon and nitrogen pools; Franzluebbers, 2002;Lal, 2004). Many of these ecosystem services are directly or indirectly linked to human health (Wall et al, 2015), emphasizing the importance of soils for humans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Soils, especially those in natural or semi-natural ecosystems, are increasingly recognized for the ecosystem services they provide (Barrios, 2007;Wall et al, 2015). Besides providing a substrate for plant growth, soils are vital in, e.g., the provision of clean water (Valtanen et al, 2014), recharging groundwater reservoirs (Glynn and Plummer, 2005), detoxification of harmful substances (Lehmann and Stahr, 2007), and storing soil organic matter (carbon and nitrogen pools; Franzluebbers, 2002;Lal, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vegetation Type and Age Drive Changes in Soil Properties, Nitrogen, and Carbon Sequestration in Urban Parks under Cold Climate

et al. 2016

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Urban green spaces provide ecosystem properties fundamental to the provision of ecosystem services, such as the sequestration of carbon and nutrients and serving as a reservoir for organic matter. Although, urban vegetation influences soil physico-chemical properties, it remains unknown whether ecosystem properties depend on plant species portfolios. We tested the influence of three common functional plant groups (evergreen trees, deciduous trees, grass/lawn) for their ability to modify soils in parks of various ages under cold climatic conditions in Finland. We hypothesized that (i) plant functional groups affect soils differently resulting in divergent ecosystem properties, and (ii) that these ecosystem properties also depend on park age. We included 41 urban parks of varying ages (10, 50, and >100 years) and additional control forests. Park soils were sampled for physico-chemical parameters up to 50 cm depth. Our data indicate that plant functional groups modify soils differently, especially between the evergreen and lawn treatments at 50 and >100 year old parks. Soils under evergreen trees had the lowest pH and generally the highest percentage organic matter, percentage total carbon and percentage total nitrogen. Soil pH remained the same, whereas concentrations of organic matter, total carbon and total nitrogen declined by depth. Soils in the reference forests had lower pH but higher percentages organic matter, total carbon, and total nitrogen than those in parks. We estimate that old parks with evergreen trees can store 35.5 and 2.3 kg N m −2 -considerably more than in urban soils in warmer climates. Our data suggest that plant-soil interactions in urban parks, in spite of being constructed environments, are surprisingly similar to those in natural forests.

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Section: Vegetation and Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vegetation Type and Age Drive Changes in Soil Properties, Nitrogen, and Carbon Sequestration in Urban Parks under Cold Climate

et al. 2016

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“…The metric of soil health performance is often related to the productivity function of soil by relating it to yield, rather than improving other functions such as soil biological activity and the flow-on consequences of that particular decision [113,114].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Australian and United States Farmers Using Soil Information for Soil Health Management?

Bruyn

Andrews

2016

Sustainability

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Soil health is an essential requirement of a sustainable, functioning agroecosystem. Tracking soil health to determine sustainability at the local level largely falls to farmers, even though they often lack access to critical information. We examine farmers' participation in gathering soil information at the farm and paddock scale over the last two decades in Australia and the United States, by reviewing national-level reporting of farmer use of soil testing and farm planning as well as qualitative research on farmer perspectives. The level of participation in soil testing and farm planning has remained stable in the last two decades, with only 25% and 30% of landholders, respectively, participating nationally, in either country. The review revealed national-level reporting has a number of limitations in understanding farmers' use of soil information and, in particular, fails to indicate the frequency and intensity of soil testing as well as farmer motivation to test soil or what they did with the soil information. The main use of soil testing is often stated as "determining fertilizer requirements", yet data show soil testing is used less commonly than is customary practice. In Australia and in the United States, customary practice is three and half times more likely for decisions on fertilizer application levels. The rhetoric is heavy on the use of soil testing as a decision tool, and that it guides best practices. However, given that only a quarter of farmers are soil testing, and doing so infrequently and in low densities, the level of information on soil health is poor. While farmers report consistent monitoring of soil conditions, few have consistent records of such. In contrast to the information on the poor state of soil health, there is strong farmer interest in procuring soil health benefits through changes in farm practices such as conservation tillage or cover crops, even if they are unable to demonstrate these soil health benefits through soil testing. Many farmers report the use of observation in lieu of laboratory testing. Finally, we point to the need for soil information to include observational indicators to best allow a blend of traditional extension strategies with digital technology to create communities of interest in soil management. This would transcend the boundaries between those with expertise and those with experience in soil health management.

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“…Plant-soil interactions also nurture soil microorganisms (Lange et al 2015), important suppliers of diversity in human gut microbiota (THMPC 2012;Wall et al 2015). These health benefits can be widely expected in wild edible species and synecoculture products as well, as the fruit of ecological optimum.…”

Section: Food Components Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Synecological farming: Theoretical foundation on biodiversity responses of plant communities

Funabashi

2016

Plant Biotechnology

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A novel farming method, namely synecological farming (synecoculture in short), based on theory and observation of synecology has been proposed as total optimization of productivity, product quality, environmental load and adaptation capacity to climate change. Synecoculture is designed on a variety of environmental responses within ecological optimum in high-density mixed polyculture where various edible species were intentionally introduced. The whole methodology can be considered as anthropogenic augmentation of ecosystem functioning that promotes dynamic biodiversity-productivity relationship prevalent in natural ecosystems.In this review we summarize the theoretical foundation to provide a systematic definition of synecoculture and clarify the relationship with existing farming methods. We also collate previously reported analyses of organic and mineral components in farm products, and outline their physiological characteristics and functions in response to culture environments.

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Soil biodiversity and human health

Cited by 606 publications

References 83 publications

Vegetation Type and Age Drive Changes in Soil Properties, Nitrogen, and Carbon Sequestration in Urban Parks under Cold Climate

Vegetation Type and Age Drive Changes in Soil Properties, Nitrogen, and Carbon Sequestration in Urban Parks under Cold Climate

Are Australian and United States Farmers Using Soil Information for Soil Health Management?

Synecological farming: Theoretical foundation on biodiversity responses of plant communities

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