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Research

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• Overground biodiversity does not necessarily correspond with soil biodiversity; this means we need specific mechanisms for soil biodiversity protection which go beyond current environmental and ecological governance.  

• A recent interdisciplinary conference held by the Soil Health Institute identified research priorities in work on soil health, the report can be accessed here. Importantly, they stress the importance of field-scale trials and experiments (learning in place) and of learning from and with communities (acting in place).

• It looks like the widely used herbicide glyphosate is a significant source of phosphorous, and its use can exacerbate phosphorus pollution problems, adding another factor to the conversation about environmental effects of this herbicide.

• Important new research looks at how genetically engineered pesticides degrade – or do not degrade – in soils to better understand their impacts on ecologies.

• Some really interesting insights into the relationships between the microbiomes of soils and insects, as researchers find that caterpillars eat soil and diversify their intestinal flora. The health of the soil microbiome is therefore very important to the microbiome of insects.

• A ‘genetically tweaked’ soil bacterium may be able to drive a new form of plant-based biodegradable plastics. "Bioengineers in Japan have used PDC to make a variety of materials that would have use in consumer products. The compound is similar to most common petroleum-based additive to PET polymers – found in plastic bottles and synthetic fibres.”

• Another recently isolated soil microbe could be used to modify crops and protect them against fungal diseases, researchers say

• Two-thirds of river basins across India do not have the potential to cope with extreme climatic events such as drought, which raises concerns about their resilience to climate change

• A study into ecosystem development of soil microbes finds that plant cover and soil acidification are important drivers of evolutionary dynamics of soil ecosystems.

 

Policy and social movements

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• A fascinating development in the governance of soil health: The Soil Carbon Initiative in the USA launches an outcome-based verified standard for soil health certification. This standard “will give both food producers and manufacturers the ability to assess soil health-- including carbon levels-- to support the transition to regenerative agriculture in an effort to restore and maintain both soil and climate health. The standard requires farmers to enroll, perform baseline tests, and submit periodic performance assessments to indicate and verify progress.” The Initiative is supported by some big food industry players such as Danone; interestingly, their main discourse is around soil carbon and climate change.

• Another important development for the health of socio-ecologies: The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) launched the Agroecology for Climate Action (#A4CA) Campaign at the Africa Climate Week in Accra, Ghana (18th-22nd March, 2019) calling upon all stakeholders to push for Agroecology as a viable adaptation and mitigation solution to climate change. The campaign aims to insert agroecology as a key climate change mitigation and adaptation strategy in ten African countries’ official climate plans.

• More industry-led soil governance, as a big producer of potato-based commodities in Europe has launched a certification scheme for their growers to encourage soil health oriented practices. Potatoes are some of the most damaging crops when it comes to soil health, so this is an interesting development

• The European think tank IDDRi’s “Ten years of agroecology” report claims that Europe could be fed entirely from agroecological food production if diets shifted more towards plant-based foods

• An interesting Roadmap to Soil Health has been developed by scholars, farmers, and policy makers in New York State, USA, exploring barriers to greater adoption of sustainable soil management practices and ways of overcoming them in the farming community.

 

Soils in the news

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• This story of a Chicago-based beloved vermicomposting company being shut down is an instructive example of how land regulation can obstruct attempts at land regeneration and repair

• In a similar vein, legislation change is needed to permit the actual realisation of the ‘from dust to dust’ formula and legalise the composting of human bodies

• Recent flooding in the Midwest of the USA is costing the farmers generations’ worth of topsoil

• The fire of a residential building in London in 2017 is found to have lasting health consequences through soil pollution. “Analysis of soil, debris and char samples of insulation boards used on the tower has revealed heightened concentrations of cancer-causing chemicals and proven carcinogens including benzene within 200m (656ft) of the tower.”

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Editorials, blogs and opinion

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• This editorial explores some of the factors which discourage US farmers from taking up soil-regenerative farming practices  (incl. policy and impact on crop insurance)

• A ‘silent epidemic’ is occurring in New Mexico, caused by a soil-dwelling fungal spore which becomes air-borne during soil disturbance events such as dust storms. This shows a very direct relation between soil health and human health

• Forbes highlights the uptake of soil regeneration projects in the Caribbean

• Andrew Voysey, Head of Business and Government Solutions at Soil Capital argues that regenerating soils and increasing farm profitability can go hand in hand. Some very interesting arguments about how farmers with healthy soils may become more attractive to food buyers as climate change bites. “Healthy soils in the value chain enables better cost management, as well alignment with changing market norms.”

• And this interesting piece focuses on one soil microbiologist to explore various aspects of soil carbon sequestration, and the contested knowledge of soil microbiology.

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Resources

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• Some interesting examples of tools and databases linking land conditions, natural resource impacts, and land use can be found here

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Books

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• The International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy 2018 is out. "This book presents an important discussion on urbanization and sustainable soil management from a range of perspectives, addressing key topics such as sustainable cities, soil sealing, rehabilitation of contaminated soils, property rights and liability issues, as well as trading systems with regard to land take."

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