Soil functions

Soil functions are general capabilities of soils that are important for various agricultural, environmental, nature protection, landscape architecture and urban applications. Soil can perform many functions and these include functions related to the natural ecosystems, agricultural productivity, environmental quality, source of raw material, and as base for buildings.[1] Six key soil functions are:[2][3][4][5][6]

  1. Food and other biomass production
  2. Environmental Interaction
  3. Biological habitat and gene pool
  4. Source of raw materials
  5. Physical and cultural heritage
  6. Platform for man-made structures
  1. ^ Nortcliff, Stephen (December 2006). "Soil, Definition, Function, and Utilization of Soil". doi:10.1002/14356007.b07_613.pub2. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ Никитин Е.Д. О биогеоценотических функциях почв. — Вестн. Моск. ун-та Сер. Почвоведение. 1977, № 4. pp.3-8.
  3. ^ Nikitin, E. D. (1982). The role of soils in the life of nature (in Russian). Znanie, Moscow. p. 47.
  4. ^ Dobrovolsky, G. V.; Nikitin, E. D. (1986). Ecological functions of the soil (in Russian). MSU, Moscow. p. 260.
  5. ^ Dobrovolsky, G. V.; Nikitin, E. D. (1990). Soil functions in the biosphere and ecosystems (in Russian). Nauka, Moscow. p. 260.
  6. ^ Blum, W. E. H. (1993). Eijsackers, H. J. P.; Hamers, T. (eds.). Soil Protection Concept of the Council of Europe and Integrated Soil Research. Kluwer Academic Publisher, Dordrecht. pp. 37–47. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)