Why Is Soil Biodiversity Important?

We at Pro-Soil try to look at the big picture when we advise farmers how to achieve increased crop yields. Some of the tactics that we advise include soil activators, preventing soil degradation, avoiding soil compaction, increasing soil porosity and generally working toward sustainable farm soil management. Another great way to achieve increased yields is to focus on soil biology and increasing soil biodiversity. In this article we explain what soil biodiversity is and why it’s important.

What Is Soil Biodiversity?

First, let’s begin by talking about what soil is.

Soil is just dirt, right? The truth is far from it! Soil is composed of organic matter, micro and macro organisms, liquids, minerals and gases. Soil has many roles on our planet, and humans are just one group of the beneficiaries. Yes, we grow our gardens and crops in soil, but soil’s importance stretches much further.

The movement of gases in and out of soil influences our atmosphere. Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi and macro organisms such as earth worms make their homes in soil. Soil also stores and helps to purify the world’s water.

Next, let’s talk biodiversity.

According to Wikipedia, “[B]iodiversity is the variety of life: the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, their genes and the ecosystems of which they are a part.” In other words, biodiversity involves all the living creatures on our planet, big and small, flora and fauna, and the ecosystems that they interact with.

Finally, let’s see how soil and biodiversity work together.

Soil provides a home and, in many cases, the nutrients for living creatures. According to the Office of Environment & Heritage regarding soil biodiversity, “A teaspoon of topsoil typically contains a vast range of different species and up to 6 billion microorganisms.”

On the flip side, microfauna, macrofauna, microflora and macroflora are the living creatures that, “[R]ecycle organic matter that is derived from the “above-ground plant-based food web,”” (Soil Biodiversity; Wikipedia).

In order for the world’s plants to continue growing, the minerals and organic matter in soil must regularly be replenished. As plants and animals live and die, their biological processes help to replenish the minerals and organic matter in soil. Plants, animals and soil are all symbiotic.

Why Is Soil Biodiversity Important?

Virtually all the world’s ecosystems depend on healthy interactions between animals, plants and soil.

Why do the world’s ecosystems depend on healthy soil biodiversity?

1. Most plants grow in soil
2. The correct balance of soil nutrients (NPK, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, etc.) determines plant growth
3. Unhealthy soil includes too much water, not enough air, improper acidity and heavy metals; these factors deter plant growth in many species
4. Healthy soil helps keep flora and fauna populations in check due to the availability or scarcity of nutrients and food

The healthy interplay between living creatures and soil facilitates the following ecological processes.

• Nutrient movement between living creatures and soil and vice versa
• Plant growth
• Plant nutrition
• Mitigation of soil degradation
• Greenhouse gas sequestration
• Gas movement between living creatures, soil, water and air
• Recycling organic matter

The specific benefits of soil biodiversity to agricultural ventures includes the following.

• Improved soil porosity
• Better habitat for healthy root growth
• Water storage and absorption
• Mitigation of destructive organisms

How Can Farmers Increase Soil Biodiversity?

Farmers can increase soil biodiversity by keeping agricultural production within the limit of the land. In other words, overtaxing a piece of land for commercial farming will reduce the biodiversity present in that land.

Managing farmland without overstressing the land is no easy task. We recommend the following strategies.

1. Employ sustainable grazing practices including use of “feral herbivores, over-abundant native herbivores and domestic stock,” (NSW Biodiversity Strategy).
2. Limit tilling to avoid soil compaction and soil erosion
3. Use perennial plants alongside annual and biennial crops
4. Rehab mismanaged soil whenever possible

Another great way to increase biodiversity in soil is to focus on reducing chemical inputs. By reducing the amount of chemical inputs including fertilizers and pesticides, farmers can help naturally occurring organisms and microorganisms to flourish.

Pro-Soil Ag Solutions helps to reduce inputs and increase yields through soil activators and biological farming. Our products stimulate microbial development in your soil. Some amount of fertilizer is always necessary to grow crops, but farmers often don’t know how much topical fertilizer becomes unavailable to the growing crops.

Many commercial fertilizers applied to crops go unused by the crops themselves. In these cases, components of the unused fertilizers get drawn away into unwanted areas such as streams, rivers, lakes and oceans.

Here is a sample of our products that can help unlock your soil biology and reduce your inputs:

Pro-Soil product descriptions for PS-Foundation, PS-Starter Pro, Triple 3