Why is soil important?

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Introduction

Soil is important to each of us in our everyday lives, but too often we think about it as just dirt!

Soil is the special link between plants and humans. It feeds us, captures carbon and provides a home for billions of living creatures. Some you can see and some that are so small you need a magnifying glass.

Soil is a mixture of tiny particles of rock, dead plants and animals, air and water.

It stores water, help plants grow and absorb and release gases.

A ��˿�� Bitesize graphic of the three important things soil does: stores water; helps plants grow; and absorbs and releases gases.

Different soils have different properties depending on their composition.

Sandy soil is pale coloured and has large particles. These create lots of small air gaps. Water drains through them easily so it usually feels dry.
Clay soil is usually sticky and has small particles. It contain very few air gaps and water does not drain through it easily.
Chalky soil is a light brown soil. Water drains through it quickly.
Peat does not contain any rock particles. It's made from very old decayed plants and is dark, crumbly and rich in nutrients.

Although soil can be found in different colours and textures, it does the same thing wherever you are in the world.

Find out more about soil and it’s incredible properties with this video.

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Soil and the climate

Protecting and restoring our soil can play a crucial role in tackling climate change.

Soil is very good at absorbing carbon dioxide from the and storing it away as carbon.

In fact, soil can hold 3 times the amount of carbon as the atmosphere. There are 10 billion tonnes of carbon stored in UK soils.

A type of wet, boggy soil called peat is especially good at this. This type of soil is found in natural areas called peatlands, bogs or moors.

Peatlands can lock up five times more carbon than forests.

Fascinating facts about soil

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95% of the food that we eat comes from soil. By making simple changes to the way we grow and farm we can protect it from being damaged so it can be healthy for growing in the future.
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It can take up to 1,000 years to form just 1 cm of soil, so we need to look after it!
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Soil is alive and home to a massive variety of life, this is called ‘biodiversity’.
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Some creatures living in soil are so tiny that up to a billion of them could live in a teaspoon of soil.
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We need to make sure that we keep our soil full of life and busy working with us, so it is a healthy place to grow food.
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Earthworms living in the soil make holes called channels, which let air and water get into the ground. Soils without earthworms soak up 90% less water.

What can you do to help?

It’s best to leave piles of leaves and dead plants for longer. By doing this you’ll be providing homes for insects which will help to increase the in your green space.
You can also help by feeding the soil with compost made up from old bits of dead plants and fallen leaves which we call organic matter.
Soil that is full of organic matter and living creatures can also help absorb and store rainwater. This protects us from floods and .
Using can have a bad effect on the living in soil. Instead, you can make natural plant food from stinging nettles.
Avoid bare soil patches or empty flowerbeds by always having some plants growing. This is to protect the top layer from being blown away by the wind or washed away by the rain.

The ultimate composting quiz

Decide what items go on your compost heap. Be sure that you're picking the best items otherwise your compost heap won't attract insects or keep the soil healthy.