Soil: the great connector of our lives now and beyond COVID-19

Poch, Rosa M.; Anjos, Lúcia Helena Cunha dos; Attia, Rafla; Balks, Megan R.; Benavides-Mendoza, Adalberto; Benavides, Martha Marina Bolaños; Calzolari, Costanza; Chabala, Lydia M.; Ruiter, Peter C. de; Francke-Campaña, Samuel; Préchac, F. García; Graber, Ellen R.; Halavatau, Siosiua; Hassan, Kutaiba M.; Hien, Edmond; Jin, Ke; Khan, Mohammad Tareq Mamun; Konyushkova, M. V.; Lobb, David A.; Moshia, Matshwene Edwin; Murase, Jun; Nziguheba, Generose; Patra, A. K.; Pierzynski, Gary M.; Eugenio, N. Rodríguez; Rojas, Ronald Vargas

doi:10.5194/soil-6-541-2020

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(18 reference statements)

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“…There is evidence that the natural microbial diversity of soil regulates the invasion by bacterial pathogens as well as by mobile genetic elements that are hazardous to health [168,169]. The employed soil use systems are even relevant for handling global diseases such as the COVID-19 pandemic [170,171]. For example, disposal practices of wastewater and biosolids as well as medical waste may either render soils a reliable sink for such substrates through immobilization and biodegradation or convert soils into a potential contributor to SARS-CoV-2 transmission [170,172].…”

Section: (A) Soil Health and Human Health Nexusmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of soils in provision of genetic, medicinal and biochemical resources

Thiele‐Bruhn

2021

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Intact, ‘healthy’ soils provide indispensable ecosystem services that largely depend on the biotic activity. Soil health is connected with human health, yet, knowledge of the underlying soil functioning remains incomplete. This review highlights selected services, i.e. (i) soil as a genetic resource and hotspot of biodiversity, forming the basis for providing (ii) biochemical resources and (iii) medicinal services and goods. Soils harbour an unrivalled biodiversity of organisms, especially microorganisms. Some of the abilities of autochthonous microorganisms and their relevant enzymes serve (i) to improve natural soil functions and in particular plant growth, e.g. through beneficial plant growth-promoting, symbiotic and mycorrhizal microorganisms, (ii) to act as biopesticides, (iii) to facilitate biodegradation of pollutants for soil bioremediation and (iv) to yield enzymes or chemicals for industrial use. Soils also exert direct effects on human health. Contact with soil enriches the human microbiome, affords protection against allergies and promotes emotional well-being. Medicinally relevant are soil substrates such as loams, clays and various minerals with curative effects as well as pharmaceutically active organic chemicals like antibiotics that are formed by soil microorganisms. By contrast, irritating minerals, soil dust inhalation and misguided soil ingestion may adversely affect humans. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The role of soils in delivering Nature’s Contributions to People.

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Section: (A) Soil Health and Human Health Nexusmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of soils in provision of genetic, medicinal and biochemical resources

Thiele‐Bruhn

2021

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…5 (2021) need to seek for the security of their soils to achieve the sustainable development goals in Tanzania (Rashid, 2021), soil organic carbon in Ethiopia (Wolka et al 2021), and soil fertility management (Martey and Kuwornu2021) particularly under climate change and soil salinity (Mukhopadhyay et al 2020). A direct impact on soil security could be noticed from the pressures of the COVID-19 crisis on food systems (Poch et al 2020).…”

Section: Soil Security In the Era Of Covid-19mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the soil is the main component of food production, help in feeding, there is no production of foods without the soil and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may control the global food security through soil healthand its security (Poch et al 2020). "The soil is the great connector of lives, the source, and destination of all.…”

Section: Soil Security In the Era Of Covid-19mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is the healer and restorer andresurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Without proper care for it, wecan have no community because without proper care for it we can have no life" as reported by the American novelist Wendell Berry (Poch et al 2020).It is expected that the COVID-19 pandemic may reshape our lives in the future, not only duringthis acute phase but in the post-pandemic world. The soil has crucial rolesthat could be achieved by sustainable soil management in the new global reality, which are imperative for solvingand anticipating the security of global food and nutrition requirements (Poch et al 2020).…”

Section: Soil Security In the Era Of Covid-19mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environment, Biodiversity and Soil Security: A New Dimension in the Era of COVID-19

El-Ramady

Singh

Rajput

et al. 2021

EBSS

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U NDOUBTEDLY, COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most devastating pandemics in the recent era and major problem for sustainability of life. This virus has severely impacted both environmental and human health. Moreover, it has become the top priority among other challenging global issues including pollution, climate change, urbanization, and unsustainable consumption, which have led to major environmental disturbances and biodiversity loss. The COVID-19 may have long-lasting impacts on the environment health, biodiversity, and soil security, consequently, will raising several scientific questions to be investigated in near future including the expected environmental impacts of COVID-19 on soil, water and air, connecting the missing links between environmental pollutions and COVID-19. Most importantly, unraveling the role of soil in spreading or reducing transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic, and soil xenobiotics status under the COVID-19 outbreak. Understanding theprojected management scenario of soil and freshwater pollution in the post-COVID-19 era and the potential impact of COVID-19 on food and soil security would be of immense aid in the preparation of future pandemics. This opinion article aims to analyze and foresee some of the major issues for meeting the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.

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“…Soils are the main source of food production for humanity, and their health is essential to ensure a biodiverse and healthy environment, among other functions. The role of soils in food production during the COVID-19 pandemic was maximized because the disease threatened food availability in many places all over the world due to lack of workforce, the disruption of food chains, closed borders, and national lockdowns (78). There are several important ways that soil can strengthen local food production systems, enhance food resilience, and create a circular economy based on soil restoration.…”

Section: Soil Health Biofortification and Covid-19mentioning

confidence: 99%

Soils, Biofortification, and Human Health Under COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities

et al. 2021

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Soil is an important source of resources required for human health and well-being. Soil is also a major environmental reservoir of pathogenic organisms. This may include viruses like the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which through 2020 and 2021 created dramatic catastrophes worldwide as the causative agent of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). So, soil has both positive and negative impacts on human health. One of the major positive impacts is the transfer of nutrients from soil to plants, and from there to humans through their diet. Biofortification is able to enhance the levels of nutrients essential to human health in the crops we consume and represents a sustainable solution to address malnutrition, which in turn may strengthen the human immune system against COVID-19. This nutrient transfer works better when we have healthy soils. Therefore, soils and biofortification have important roles to play in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. However, several questions still remain, such as what are the expected environmental impacts of COVID-19 on soil? Can SARS-CoV-2 be transmitted through soil, and under what conditions? Which soil processes and properties influence SARS-CoV-2 survival rates and times, as well as transmission? What are the specific links between soil health and COVID-19? What are the projected soil management scenarios in response to COVID-19? Questions such as these deserve more attention as the world seeks to recover from its most recent pandemic.

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Soil: the great connector of our lives now and beyond COVID-19

Cited by 10 publications

References 20 publications

The role of soils in provision of genetic, medicinal and biochemical resources

The role of soils in provision of genetic, medicinal and biochemical resources

Environment, Biodiversity and Soil Security: A New Dimension in the Era of COVID-19

Soils, Biofortification, and Human Health Under COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities

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