Why soil matters?

Why soils matters

- A european perspective

Proceedings of the Conference

Professor Watson helped us understand why

we should

be celebrating the diversity of soils

She explained that soil is made of various constituents;

air, water, minerals and organic material. The mineral

part of the soil (sand, silk and clay) gives the basic struc-

ture to our soil. We cannot change it very much, but we

can change the organic matter content, and therefore

the air and water within the soil. Without that air and

water, our plants would not grow and microorganisms

would not survive.

Dr Watson focused mainly on the role of organic material.

She explained that organic matter is important as a

source of nutrients, as well as in creating the soil struc-

ture, the very habitat in which soil organisms live and

root systems grow. Those roots help carbon move out

through the soil. Soil organic matter is in fact a mixture of

PANEL:

HEALTHY LIVING SOIL: THE BASIS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS

Martin Häusling

, Greens/EFA coordinator of the

Committee on Agriculture (AGRI) and member of

the Committee on Environment (ENVI).

Professor

Christine Watson

Team Leader of the Soils and Systems Team

at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)

Organic matter is about holding nutrients in place.“

Christine Watson

Soil that has been improved for

centuries is now getting worse

in quality. This should sound

the alarm bell for farmers, but

also for society as a whole...

and this should be the focus

of policymakers’ reflections

when it comes to defining a

coherent EU soil-related policy.’

Martin Häusling