Soil Organic Carbon – the treasure beneath our feet

00:04:20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymy0IO7nizw

Summary

TLDRThe video emphasizes the significance of soil organic matter and soil organic carbon as critical components in maintaining soil health, fertility, and combating climate change. It explains how human activities lead to soil degradation and carbon release, while showcasing the potential for sustainable soil management practices to sequester carbon. The video calls for innovative strategies, monitoring changes in soil organic carbon, and government support for land users to preserve this vital resource and combat climate-related challenges effectively.

Takeaways

  • 🌍 Soil is the world's largest treasure, rich in organic matter.
  • 💧 Soil organic matter is vital for storing nutrients and water for plants.
  • 🌱 Healthy soil captures carbon from the atmosphere, combating climate change.
  • 🔍 1/3 of the world's soils are degraded, releasing significant carbon emissions.
  • ⚖️ Sustainable soil management practices can increase soil organic carbon.
  • 🏞️ Grasslands store more carbon than other agricultural areas.
  • 📊 Monitoring soil carbon changes is essential for conservation.
  • 💡 Innovative strategies are needed to adapt to local conditions.
  • 🏛️ Government support is crucial for implementing soil management practices.
  • 🌿 Protecting soil health enhances water quality and food production.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:04:20

    The world's largest treasure lies beneath our feet in the form of soil organic matter, which is crucial for plant growth by storing nutrients and water. It plays a significant role in soil health and fertility while also capturing atmospheric carbon as soil organic carbon. Human activities have resulted in the degradation of one-third of the world's soils, releasing substantial amounts of carbon into the atmosphere and exacerbating climate change. Protecting soil organic matter through sustainable soil management practices is essential to sequester more carbon, maintain soil health, and enhance resilience against climate challenges. Governments must support land users in implementing these practices, presenting an opportunity to restore soil fertility, provide cleaner resources, and preserve biodiversity while helping to mitigate climate change by removing carbon from the atmosphere.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What is soil organic matter?

    Soil organic matter refers to the organic materials in the soil that help promote soil health, fertility, and plant growth.

  • Why is soil organic carbon important?

    Soil organic carbon plays a crucial role in capturing carbon from the atmosphere and maintaining soil fertility and health.

  • How much carbon can degraded soils release?

    Degradation of one-third of the world's soils has released up to 100 gigatons of carbon.

  • What are some ways to protect soil organic matter?

    Implementing sustainable soil management practices can protect and enhance soil organic matter.

  • How much carbon remains in the soils worldwide?

    An estimated 1,417 gigatons of carbon remain in the first meter of soil across the globe.

  • What is the impact of losing soil organic matter?

    Losing soil organic matter can increase carbon emissions and accelerate climate change.

  • What role do grasslands play in carbon storage?

    Grasslands store more than double the amount of carbon compared to all other agricultural areas.

  • Why is government support needed for land users?

    Government support is essential to help land users implement sustainable soil management practices.

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  • 00:00:05
    [Music]
  • 00:00:12
    if you were asked to picture the world's
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    largest treasure you might imagine a
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    large Vault filled with chests of jewels
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    and gold but the world's largest and
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    possibly most important treasure is
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    buried right beneath our feet soil holds
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    massive amounts of organic matter which
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    incl increases its ability to store and
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    release the nutrients essential for
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    plant
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    growth soil organic matter also
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    increases soil porosity allowing it to
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    store enough water and air for plant
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    roots this means soil organic matter
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    forms the basis of soil health and
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    fertility and so food production but it
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    carries out another crucial function it
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    captures carbon from the atmosphere as
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    soil organic carbon plants fix organic
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    carbon in soils through debris roots and
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    fluid soil FAA break down these residues
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    into soil organic matter some of this
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    organic matter remains as soil organic
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    carbon some is naturally released into
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    the atmosphere as carbon dioxide it is
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    when we lose soil organic matter through
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    human activities that we Face problems
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    the degradation of 1/3 of the world's
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    soils has already released up to 100
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    gigatons of of carbon yet an estimated
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    1,417 gigatons remain in the first meter
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    of soil across the globe almost double
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    the carbon in our atmosphere and dozens
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    of times the levels of man-made
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    emissions each year it is clear that
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    losing the soil carbon treasure would
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    increase carbon emissions and accelerate
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    climate change but we can do something
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    about
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    it many physical and biochemical
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    mechanisms protect soil organic matter
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    from
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    decomposition soil management practices
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    influence these mechanisms and can bring
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    carbon gains or
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    losses since soil organic carbon is
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    highly Dynamic we need to find
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    innovative ways to sequester more carbon
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    by adapting strategies to local
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    conditions we also need to Monitor and
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    report changes in soil organic carbon
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    and we need to maintain soil organic
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    carbon stocks in vulnerable hot spots
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    pet lands permafrost soils and black
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    soils are particularly prone to carbon
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    losses grasslands store more than double
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    the amount of carbon in all other
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    agricultural areas drylands are
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    important because although they have low
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    carbon content per square meter they
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    cover a large surface
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    area scientists have already
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    demonstrated the many sustainable soil
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    management practices that can preserve
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    and boost soil organ organic carbon
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    governments now need to support land
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    users to implement them this is a huge
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    task but in even bigger
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    opportunity we can enhance resilience to
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    extreme events we can restore soil
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    fertility to provide cleaner water and
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    nutritious
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    food and preserve terrestrial
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    biodiversity and by rehabilitating the
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    world's degraded soil we can remove up
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    to 50 1 gigatons of carbon from the
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    atmosphere there can be no doubt that
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    joining forces to protect and increase
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    the stocks in the soil organic carbon
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    treasure represents a Sound Investment
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    in fighting the most challenging
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    environmental issue of our time our
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    changing
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    climate soil organic
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    carbon unlocking the potential of
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    mitigating and adap
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    to a change in climate
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    [Music]
Tags
  • soil
  • organic matter
  • carbon
  • fertility
  • climate change
  • sustainability
  • land management
  • biodiversity
  • soil health
  • degradation