Earth Matters How soil underlies civilization

For much of history, soil has played a major, and often central, role in the lives of humans. Entire societies have risen, and collapsed, through the management or mismanagement of soil; farmers and gardeners worldwide nurture their soil to provide their plants with water, nutrients, and protection from pests and diseases; major battles have been aborted or stalled by the condition of soil; murder trials have been solved with evidence from the soil; and, for most of us, our ultimate fate is the soil. In this book Richard Bardgett discusses soil and the many, and sometimes surprising, ways that humanity has depended on it throughout history, and still does today. Analysing the role soil plays in our own lives, despite increasing urbanization, and in the biogeochemical cycles that allow the planet to function effectively, Bardgett considers how superior soil management could combat global issues such as climate change, food shortages, and the extinction of species. Looking to the future, Bardgett argues that it is vital for the future of humanity for governments worldwide to halt soil degradation, and to put in place policies for the future sustainable management of soils.

1 - Soil and the Distant Past
2 - Soil and Biodiversity
3 - Soil and the Grower
4 - Soil and the City
6 - Soil and War
7 - Soil and Climate Change
8 - Soil and the Future

Richard Bardgett is Professor of Ecology at the University of Manchester. He has studied soils and their ecology in many parts of the world, and authored and co-authored several books, including The Biology of Soil (OUP 2005) and Aboveground-Belowground Interactions (OUP 2010). He is an Editor of Journal of Ecology and was Vice President of the British Ecological Society (2011-2014).