World Soil Day

   The importance of global soil quality is typically overlooked, but it plays a critical role in supporting life on our planet in several ways. First and foremost, soil provides essential nutrients to trees, crops, flowers, and all other plants which could not exist without it. For perspective, soil-based plants serve as the foundation of almost all human food systems, with 95% of our food coming from soils . It is also home to a large, diversified community of creatures that enhance the soil’s structure, recycle vital nutrients , and aid in the management of weeds, plant pests, and diseases . Another crucial factor is that good soil reduces climate change by preserving or even increasing soil organic carbon storage . Furthermore, it filters and cleans our water and helps prevent natural hazards such as flooding.

  How readily water, air and plants roots can move through the soil.

  Soil compaction is related to the degradation of soil structure due to imposed stresses by machinery and livestock trampling. Soil compaction (reduced or disrupted pore continuity) reduces soil aeration by destroying soil aggregates and collapsing macropore density, and reduces water drainage and infiltration, generating higher runoff. Compaction limits root growth and seed germination by high mechanical impedance, affecting soil biodiversity and causing surface soil crusting. • Deterioration of soil structure due to inappropriate or excessive tillage should be prevented; • Vehicular traffic should be minimized to the absolutely essential, particularly on bare soils, by reducing the number and frequency of operations, creating controlled traffic systems, and by performing agriculture/forestry operations only when the soil moisture content is suitable down to deeper depth; • Machines and vehicles used in the field should be adjusted to soil strength and should be equipped with ty...