6.  Climate change:     Changing climate changes soils

Jonathan Gray, lead author of the study, collecting carbon samples. ("Changing climate soils...")

SUMMARY

A team of researchers in Australia, lead by a senior scientist named Jonathan Gray, have used digital techniques to predict how one vital soil characteristic, soil organic carbon, which is a major determinant of soil health,  may be altered by climate change. Soil organic carbon is important because it influences many things such as fertility and the  water holding capacity of soil. The researchers used 12 climate change models to predict how “soil organic carbon levels vary with climate change”. These models reflected a “full range of projected global climate outcomes”. Most of these models showed a decline in soil organic carbon with climate change, but a few showed an increase. They discovered that the extent to which soil organic carbon changes varied upon the soil types, land use regimes, and current climate. The next step for the researches is to predict how other key soil properties, such as nutrients and acidity, will be affected by projected climate change. This is important because these variables will impact agricultural and native ecosystems.

DISCUSSION 

This is a very important topic and can impact my life because without healthy soil we would struggle to survive. This is because healthy soil supports plant and vegetation growth and without this, the food chain would be broken and we would quickly be out of food. It also supports animal biodiversity, above and below ground, and helps support the water supply and quality. Soil distribution can also  impact rivers, lakes and streams by changing their shape, size, capacity and direction. Because the soil is so important we should work to keep it healthy. I know I can't help on a big scale, but to keep the soil on my lawn and backyard healthy, I can add compost to improve its quality, apply recommend fertilizers, and use “well-drained soil”. This article hasn't really inspired me much, but after reading it I am interested in learning more about the soil and what it is made up of and I may even end up reviewing some of my ‘Soil and Vegetation’ notes from my grade 9 Geography class.

WORKS CITED

Changing Climate Changes Soils -- ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, Oct. 2016, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170111133851.htm. Accessed 16 Jan. 2017.

Other websites used to help me write my explanations:

Pantsios, Anastasia. 7 Reason Healthy Soil Is Vital to Human Life on Earth - EcoWatch. EcoWatch, 15 Dec. 2014, http://www.ecowatch.com/7-reason-healthy-soil-is-vital-to-human-life-on-earth-1881989408.html. Accessed 16 Jan. 2017.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/fruit-vegetable/simple-successful/healthy-soil-english/