Meet the unsung heroes looking after our soil

There is an incredible world beneath our feet and we must look after it. As our founder Lady Eve Balfour said, “The health of soil, plant, animal and [human] is one and indivisible”.

 

Our soil is bustling with life. It's home to half of Earth’s species, from beetles and springtails to worms, spiders, nematodes, and billions of other microorganisms. These unsung  heroes  of the soil are part of our diverse ecosystem and help keep soils healthy.

Healthy soils are vital for combatting climate change, feeding the planet’s population, and stopping flooding and droughts.

Did you know that up to 10 billion microorganisms can be found in just a quarter of a teaspoon of soil?

Microorganisms

Soils are home to millions of microorganisms, too small to be seen by the naked eye, but vitally important to soil health and the planet.  

Nematodes are tiny worm-like creatures that move slowly between soil particles. They decompose organic matter and recycle nutrients helping to keep the soil healthy. Nematodes are one of the most abundant creatures on Earth. In fact, just one gram of soil may contain thousands of nematodes! 

Water bears, or tardigrades, are one of the most resistant animals on Earth. Incredibly, they can go up to 30 years without food or water, can survive at temperatures from freezing to above boiling, and can even withstand the vacuum of space! At less than 1mm in size, water bears swim inside moss and lichen, eating plant debris and other organisms and recycling nutrients back into the soil. 

Bacteria are crucial to living, healthy soil and a balanced ecosystem. Most bacteria are decomposers. They turn the energy stored in organic matter into food for other organisms in the soil. Other bacteria are nitrogen-fixing bacteria. They turn nitrogen into a useful form for plants, helping them to grow and thrive and playing an important role in the nitrogen cycle.  

Springtails eat fungi, bacteria, algae and decaying organic matter, recycling the nutrients back into the soil. They benefit most plants by spreading beneficial fungi onto plant roots, helping them grow strong.

Protozoa are aquatic single-celled animals that live in the water-filled pores that surround soil particles. They live in the top six inches of soil. They consume bacteria and release excess nitrogen that's helpful for nearby plant roots. 

How are soils and their microorganisms at risk?  
Research shows that using pesticides has devastating effects on these unsung heroes of the soil. It’s vital that we protect the life beneath our feet and save our soils before it’s too late.  

Agroecological or nature-friendly farming methods like organic, help create a healthy, living soil, without the need for harmful pesticides and chemicals. Farming with nature creates a wider range of microbes living underground. This helps crops to grow without the need for artificial fertilisers, building soil fertility naturally using compost and clover. Learn more about agroecology and its benefits.  

Fungi

Hidden underground, fungi can spread for kilometres, creating a huge network that's vital for soils. It helps plants and trees to communicate - it’s sometimes known as the ‘wood wide web’. 

When we think of fungi, most of us think of mushrooms. But these are just the fruiting bodies - a bit like apples on a tree. Most fungi live as an underground network of branching, fusing cells called mycelium. They make up a diverse kingdom of organisms that support the life of our ecosystem. 

If you teased apart the mycelium found in a teaspoon of healthy soil and laid it end to end, it could stretch anywhere from 100 metres to 10km?

What role do fungi play on organic farms and for soil? 

A key part of agroecology is recognising that there's a close relationship between plants, animals, soils and humans. As carbon capturers, nutrient transporters and pollution filterers, fungi are invaluable to our ecosystem. Learn more about the benefits to farmers practicing agroecology.

Fungi are ‘decomposers’. They feed by breaking down decaying organic matter like dead plants, trees and animals. This process releases nutrients into the soil, which then become available for plants and trees to absorb. This allows the ‘circle of life,’ where nutrients are recycled throughout our ecosystem.  

There’s more carbon in our soils than there is in all the world’s plants, forests and the atmosphere combined!

A big part of this carbon is bound up in the organic compounds that fungi make. Studies show that healthy soils on organic farms are able to store (‘sequester’) up to 25 percent more carbon in the long term. Fungi play an important role here, making them a vital piece of the climate puzzle. 

Soil erosion is a big worry for both farmers. Half the topsoil on our planet has been lost in the last 150 years due to erosion. Much of this is because of intensive farming. The dense mesh of mycelium in healthy soil holds it together creating networks around plant roots and shoots. Without it, soil would be washed away.  
  
Did you know that healthy soils can filter out pollutants? Fungi are amazing cleaners of our soils, filtering out everything from heavy metals to pesticides, and even radioactive waste. 

Protecting and harnessing the power of fungi 
The overuse of fungicides and artificial fertilisers can damage fungi's sensitive mycelium. Deforestation on farmland can kill off the fungi around trees and hedges. 

By farming in a way that works with nature, known as agroecology, we can learn to harness the power of these amazing networks. For example, instead of fungicides, organic farmers work with ‘beneficial fungi’, which outcompete and destroy harmful fungi.  

Likewise, we can feed the soil and the living mycelium within it, by applying composts, manures and using cover crops. We can build soil's fertility in harmony with fungi. In return, farmers are rewarded with the amazing ecosystem services that fungi provide – healthier, stronger soils, and more nutritious crops. 

Worms

Worms play an incredibly important role in recycling nutrients, improving soil structure, and providing a food source for other species in the food chain. Discover more about these engineers of the soil.  

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