It is not the oceans nor the rainforests or swamps. The soils under our feet are home to most of the life on Earth.
Mark Anthony, an ecologist, and his colleagues estimate that soil is home to up to 59 percent life on Earth, from microbes to mammal species. This makes it the most biodiverse environment on Earth. Researchers have uncovered new findings in their research.
The soil is made up of organic matter, minerals, gases, and liquids. It covers most of the Earth’s surface.
We still know little about the living skin of Earth, despite its importance.
Anthony from Agroscope – a Swiss agricultural research organisation – said: “Organisms in soil have an outweighed effect on the balance of our world.” Tell them to get on with itPhoebe Weston, at the Guardian.
Their biodiversity is important, because soil life has an impact Climate change“Global food security and even human safety”
Anthony and his team reviewed previous literature and found that up to 88 percent bacteria, 85 percent plants, and 90% fungi survive in this thin and fragile layer. Only 4 percent of the 6,500 species of mammals will dig their way into the muck.
The researchers say that, despite the wide margin of error, 59 percent (plus or minus 15 percent) of the biodiversity in Earth’s lands is an underestimation, considering how little is known about soil ecologies.
It doesn’t include the estimated number of bacteria that have invaded. The virusThey are so diverse that they dominate the soil and leave everything else in the dust.
Earthworms’ small relatives EnchytraeidaeThe highest percentage of species that are dependent on soil is 98.6 percent. Most of them live in the soil’s first 5cm, eating bacteria, fungi, organic matter, etc. However, despite the fact that they are everywhere and apart Use them as baitThese animals are not very well-known.
The deeper the soils, the less we know.
“Often-neglected deep soils… harbor many unique lineages compared to surface soil,” Anthony and team You can learn more about this by clicking here..
The new biodiversity estimate has doubled the previous estimate As previously suggestedEven though the team included only the groups of living with the highest number of species.
The following is a list of the most popular ways to contact us Unexpectedly noisy habitatEarth’s largest drives are the Earth’s life sustaining systems. Carbon sequestrationWater distribution. The soils also act as filters and promote the growth of bacteria. 95 percent of the food we sell is organic..
There is a loss of soil all over the world The following are some ways to reduce erosionThe fire changed everything Pollution. According to a recent report, around 65 percent Europe’s soils have unhealthy conditions.
The way we have altered the land above soils may also have altered the biological composition and function of soils.
Echidnas for example will turn overEvery year, 7 tonnes of soil are produced.In their native Australian environment, they are still present in many places, but the urbanization of Australia and agricultural practices have eliminated them, reducing this vital cycle. This has altered the microbial makeup of soils and decreased their carbon storage capability.
The extent of the biological degradationAnother massive unknown is the soils.
Anthony: “I think of this as a census.” Tell them to get on with itMeghan Bartels Scientific American.
The results will hopefully help us to focus more on soil conservation and restoration, because at the present we are not doing it.
This research has been published in PNAS.
