By Master Volunteer Lesley Arrandale
mail@floridanewsline.com

As concerned as I am for the pollinators that underpin our food supply, I have found something else to concern us all, and that is the state of the world’s soils. The very stuff on which we depend for our food is becoming depleted to a more or lesser degree across our planet.

I first heard about this phenomenon some years ago, when I read about an area of the UK, the Norfolk Broads, which is famous for its fens or wetlands. Within the Broads there were areas of farmland where the rich peaty soils, laid down over centuries, were becoming shallower as a result of conventional farming techniques. On a trip from Atlanta to Jacksonville more recently, I recall being shocked at the amount of dust whipped up and across the interstate from bare fields by a wind that was not particularly strong. For “dust,” think “topsoil.” 

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In 2011, another related problem was brought to light to a wider audience: 

“A landmark study on the topic by Donald Davis and his team of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry was published in December 2004 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. They studied U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional data from both 1950 and 1999 for 43 different vegetables and fruits, finding ‘reliable declines’ in the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C over the past half century. Davis and his colleagues chalk up this declining nutritional content to the preponderance of agricultural practices designed to improve traits (size, growth rate, pest resistance) other than nutrition.” (Scientific American, April 27, 2011)

Now, in the first week of December 2020, I read that depleted soils do not support the full range of microbes that underpin our agricultural efforts, and overall the state of our soils is not good (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/04/global-soils-underpin-life-but-future-looks-bleak-warns-un-report). It’s a complex subject so I turned to the University of Florida, where soil and water researchers have come to this conclusion:

“Growers interested in improving soil health in their fields should keep in mind that soil management practices change soil quality slowly over time. The use of cover crops, crop rotation, organic amendments, and limited tillage are important practices to consider for increasing soil organic matter content notably by adding organic materials with qualities affecting soil characteristics differently from the crop debris and crop roots. It is important to maintain a ‘green carpet’ across the soil surface because this supports a living root system with a robust population of soil organisms. Over time these practices will help eliminate many soil constraints that often stem from the depletion of soil organic matter. Healthy soils will be more resilient to extreme weather events, support diverse populations of soil organisms, and save farmers money on inputs, such as fertilizer, while maintaining or increasing yields. This sustainable use of the soil will also allow farmers to leave behind fertile farmland to support and feed the next generation.” (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss657).

So many of our soils are shallow and are lacking microbial diversity, and our modern farming techniques concentrate on characteristics other than nutrition, resulting in produce that is less than optimally nutritious. As the quote from the University of Florida describes, while some soils may be less than ideal, with a long term approach to rebuilding soil health we can begin to improve our children’s futures. Certainly in the home garden, we can add compost, use organic fertilizers like seaweed products, and plant cover crops — and aim never to leave soil bare. We can limit our use of chemicals, supply a variety of flowers and other plants, including native trees and shrubs, to support beneficial insects, and feel confident that we are doing our bit to help our world. The time to act is now!

A Happy New Year to all, and a sincere wish for a brighter, greener, more healthy, and beautiful 2021. 

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