Soil function: food and biomass production
Soil function: providing the basis for food and biomass production
Since the dawn of humanity, soils have been valued as a growth medium for biomass and food production. Land managers have strived to maintain the chemical, physical and biological status of their soils in a suitable condition for crop growth.
Food and biomass production significantly change soils. Plants extract nutrients and water from the soil over their growing cycle, and human interventions modify the properties and structure of the soil through cultivation, input of fertiliser and management of crop residues.
Healthy soils and sustainable management of existing soil resources are essential to maintain agriculture, forestry and horticulture. Inappropriate soil management can only lead to nutrient imbalance, increased risk of structural damage and erosion, and decline in productivity.
Off-site impacts of inappropriate land use and soil management practices can be devastating for both the natural environment and human activities (e.g. diffuse pollution and contamination of freshwater ecosystems, loss of soil carbon and greenhouse gases, erosion and landslides and excessive water abstraction).
Threats to this soil function as defined in the Scottish Soil Framework
Major effect
- Climate change: crops and grass yields may decrease due to drought; cropping flexibility may decrease; increased storminess/drought/fire risk could impact on woodland expansion
- Loss of organic matter and natural and artificially enhanced depletion of soil carbon is a key limitation to productivity in more mineral soils.
- Loss of soil through sealing as a result of planning development.
Minor effect
- Acidification and eutrophication
- Loss of biodiversity
- Contamination
- Soil erosion
- Compaction and structural damage
Minor effect but locally important
- Salinisation following sea level rise and invasion of brackish water will impact on lowland coastal farming systems in the Islands.
No effects
- Pesticides