The role of soils in provision of genetic, medicinal and biochemical resources

Abstract

Intact, ‘healthy’ soils provide indispensable ecosystem services that largely depend on the biotic activity. Soil health is connected with human health, yet, knowledge of the underlying soil functioning remains incomplete. This review highlights selected services, i.e. (i) soil as a genetic resource and hotspot of biodiversity, forming the basis for providing (ii) biochemical resources and (iii) medicinal services and goods. Soils harbour an unrivalled biodiversity of organisms, especially microorganisms. Some of the abilities of autochthonous microorganisms and their relevant enzymes serve (i) to improve natural soil functions and in particular plant growth, e.g. through beneficial plant growth-promoting, symbiotic and mycorrhizal microorganisms, (ii) to act as biopesticides, (iii) to facilitate biodegradation of pollutants for soil bioremediation and (iv) to yield enzymes or chemicals for industrial use. Soils also exert direct effects on human health. Contact with soil enriches the human microbiome, affords protection against allergies and promotes emotional well-being. Medicinally relevant are soil substrates such as loams, clays and various minerals with curative effects as well as pharmaceutically active organic chemicals like antibiotics that are formed by soil microorganisms. By contrast, irritating minerals, soil dust inhalation and misguided soil ingestion may adversely affect humans. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The role of soils in delivering Nature’s Contributions to People.

Soil-derived Nature's Contributions to People and their contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

“…Each paper in this issue [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] has presented evidence for the contribution of soils to NCP. Table 5 summarizes the potential positive, negative and context-specific contributions of soils to NCP arising from these papers.…”

“…Previous studies have examined the role of soils in contributing to ecosystem services, showing that soils have a decisive and positive contribution to many [1][2][3][4][5]. Other papers in this special issue [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] have considered each ecosystem service in turn, classified according to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Nature's Contributions to People (NCP, [21,22]), thus providing the most comprehensive treatment to date of the role of soils in delivering NCP. Other studies have examined the role of soils in contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, [23][24][25][26]), arguing that soils also play a vital role in delivering the SDGs.…”

“…Like Keesstra et al [27], Smith et al [29] first considered the functions provided by the soils and mapped these to NCP, with the delivery of these NCP then mapped on to the delivery of the SDGs. We use a similar approach here, drawing on the extensive analysis presented in the other papers presented in this issue [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20], to examine the role of soils in contributing, positively or negatively, to the UN SDGs.…”

The role of soils in delivering Nature's Contributions to People

“…In addressing the role of soils in the provision of genetic, medicinal and biochemical resources, Thiele-Bruhn [17] finds that intact, 'healthy' soils provide indispensable ecosystem services that especially depend on the biotic activity. The author highlights that soil health is connected with human health, yet knowledge of the underlying soil functioning is still incomplete.…”

Improvement of eukaryotic proteins prediction from soil metagenomes

“…Soil-dwelling microorganisms play essential roles in biological functions related to human and Earth health in both managed and natural ecosystems [1]. They are engaged in countless issues, from chemical engineering to environmental change, or nutrient cycling through soil fertilisation or carbon sequestration [2].…”