World Soil Day

  The types of ecosystem services and the  soil functions  referred to in the definition can be elaborated as follows:  • Supporting services include primary production, nutrient cycling and soil formation;  • Provisioning services comprise the supply of food, fibre, fuel, timber and water; raw earth material; surface stability; habitat and genetic resources;  • Regulating services imply the regulation of aspects such as water supply and quality, carbon sequestration, climate regulation, control of floods and erosion; and  • Cultural services denote the aesthetic and cultural benefits derived from soil use.  Sustainable Soil Management  is associated with the following characteristics: 1. Minimal rates of soil erosion by water and wind; 2. The soil structure is not degraded (e.g. soil compaction) and provides a stable physical context for movement of air, water, and heat, as well as root growth; 3. Sufficient surface cover (e.g. from growing ...

  Soils have diverse chemical, physical and biological properties. As a consequence, they differ in their responses to management practices, their inherent ability to deliver ecosystem services, as well as their resilience to disturbance and vulnerability to degradation. The Status of the World’s Soil Resources report identified ten key threats that hamper the achievement of SSM. These threats are: soil erosion by water and wind, soil organic carbon loss, soil nutrient imbalance, soil salinization, soil contamination, acidification, loss of soil biodiversity, soil sealing, soil compaction and waterlogging . These different threats vary in terms of intensity and trend depending on geographical contexts, though they all need to be addressed in order to achieve sustainable soil management. SSM shall contribute to addressing global challenges, and meeting international commitments, including:  • the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , where SSM could directly or indirectly c...

  Soil may filter, fix and neutralize, but also release pollutants when conditions change (e.g. heavy metal release with lowering pH). Therefore, prevention of soil contamination remains the best way to maintain healthy soils and food safety in accordance to the Sustainable Development Goals. Contaminants can enter soils from a variety of sources including agricultural inputs, land application of by-products, atmospheric deposition, flood and irrigation water, accidental spills, inappropriate urban waste and wastewater management, and other means. Accumulation and contamination occur if the rate of addition of a given contaminant exceeds its rate of removal from the soil system. Negative consequences may include plant toxicities and subsequent productivity declines, contamination of water and off-site areas through sediment transport, and increased human and animal health risks through accumulation in the food-chain. • Governments are encouraged to establish and implement regulatio...