If the soil could talk: keys to understanding its health and importance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22201/ceide.16076079e.2025.26.3.11Keywords:
soil health, degradation, sustainability, soil indicators, conservationAbstract
Beneath our feet, a silent story unfolds that sustains life as we know it. The soil —a resource we often overlook— is vital for growing food, filtering water, and maintaining ecosystem balance. But today, its health is in jeopardy. The pressure of human activities has led to its degradation, affecting fertility, accelerating erosion, and making us more vulnerable to phenomena like droughts and floods. How can we know if soil is healthy? In this article, we share four simple yet powerful indicators that allow us to assess its condition: texture, water infiltration, aggregate stability, and structure. The best part is that you don’t need to be an expert to observe them: with basic tools and a bit of curiosity, anyone can approach this resource with a more mindful perspective. This text is an invitation to reconnect with the earth, to understand it, and to care for it. Because protecting the soil is protecting life —both ours and that of future generations.
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