Why didn’t this 2,000 year old body decompose? - Carolyn Marshall
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It may not appear very lively six feet underground, but a single teaspoon of soil contains more organisms than there are human beings on the planet. From bacteria and algae to fungi and protozoa, soils are home to one quarter of Earth’s biodiversity. And perhaps soil’s most important inhabitants are its microbes. Carolyn Marshall digs into how soil’s invisible helpers support all life on Earth.
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Soil faces many challenges worldwide. Certain agricultural practices cause soil to degrade. Soil is depleted of nutrients and organic material, making it less productive. It is more prone to erosion when it is left bare between crops. Urbanization and development threating soil with soil sealing – covering the soil over with pavement or buildings. However, soil provides many important functions. It produces food, fuel, and fiber but it also plays a role in flood mitigation, regulation of greenhouse gases, and houses a wide variety of biodiversity (even being a source of important antibiotics). For a great visual of the many important functions, check out this graphic created by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
Soil contains a large pool of carbon, more than twice as much as in the atmosphere. Adding carbon back into the soil has been proposed as a solution to help mitigate climate change. The Government of France has proposed increasing global carbon stocks by 0.4% to mitigate increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, called the “4 per 1000” initiative and they are expanding to get other governments and organizations on board. Learn more about this initiative here.
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Meet The Creators
- Educator Carolyn Marshall
- Director Thomas Johnson Volda, Ivana Bošnjak
- Narrator Alexandra Panzer
- Animator Ivana Bošnjak, Thomas Johnson Volda
- Storyboard Artist Ivana Bošnjak
- Art Director Thomas Johnson Volda
- Compositor Ivana Bošnjak
- Composer Stephen LaRosa
- Sound Designer Stephen LaRosa
- Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
- Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
- Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
- Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
- Script Editor Emma Bryce
- Fact-Checker Eden Girma