Geoscience Reference
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protection are gradually reduced until they approach zero. To combat these unwanted
developments and intrusions, farmers apply various kinds and combinations of her-
bicides and pesticides with some timely short-lasting success whenever they obtain
a reasonable harvest. However, even with highest selective agrochemicals yet to be
produced, their application in scientifi cally recommended amounts impacts and
even kills countless numbers and kinds of benefi cial soil micro- and macrofauna
and soil micro- and macrofl ora - all of which were not the weeds and plant diseases
targeted by the farmer. In simple terms, monoculture paves the way for soils to
become sick and stripped of their biodiversity.
We will show later on how this plundering of soils leads to the deterioration of
all features of the landscape. The negative consequences are not just linked to local
catastrophes occurring in the past. We fi nd even today a small-minded approach to
grow plants solely for their organic content in order to produce biofuels. They are
frequently grown for many years in the same fi eld on an originally very productive
soil. Such monoculture fi elds initially produce abundant yields that are easily har-
vested and immediately sold for high profi ts. By continuing such monoculture, we
are repeating the same error of our grandfathers, who on so many farms transformed
a very fertile soil to a nearly unproductive soil. The recent approach producing a
large portion of the biofuels now available is an example of fi ghting fi re with fi re.
Although we are trying to be less dependent on fossil fuels by producing biofuels,
we are forgetting, or perhaps we do not even realize, that we have an undesirable
by-product. That by-product is soil having a substantially reduced biodiversity that
is not immediately recognized nor considered as important as when a particular spe-
cies of mammals disappears. The picture and story of the poor animal is published
all over the world, while soil plundering is only mentioned in scientifi c and profes-
sional journals. Who among the countless nonprofessionals throughout the world
has ever seen any photography of perished soil microbes or fungi? Without speak-
ing about a complete movie, there has never been even a single photo transmitted to
any household television set about the disappearance of a microbial colony. It could
be that those exact microorganisms in the disappearing colony had been protecting
plant roots from attacks by pathogens. Or within the disappearing colony, at least
some groups of microorganisms were guaranteeing the benefi cial disintegration of
decayed plants and animals and the transformation of decomposition products into
new organic complexes important for the quality of soils. If those groups disappear,
the quality of soil drops sharply. Therefore, it is the biodiversity of soil organisms
that is important for soil survival and thus for human civilization.
Christian religions have accentuated the importance of soil by both word and
parable. Mankind started with Adam in the Old Testament. It is the word derived
probably from the Hebrew adamah , a feminine word denoting the earth. Another
word ahava meaning love is similar to the name Eva that means life and it is close
to hayya that means alive. By combining Adam and Eva we obtain the living earth
full of love. To avoid just a celebration of soil at the start of mankind, we have to
mention that to ´evah also means abomination. But it may also mean dirtiness, and
if it does, we are back to our soil. Generally, there are several other related meanings
coexisting like melodies in the sound from an orchestra.
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