Eco-Designing for Soil Health and Services

Abstract

Soil health and quality are key aspects upon which various ecosystem processes depend. Ongoing series of land degradations, deforestation, intensive agricultural practices, etc. affects the soil health. These deleterious unsustainable practicesdeprive soil fertility and affect overall ecosystem services (ES). Depleting nature of soil affects tree-crop productivity that is not fruitful for satisfying global hunger populations. Healthy soil promises food-income-climate security and maintains overall environmental sustainability and ecological stability. Human and livestock’s health are entirely dependent upon soil quality. Therefore, the query “how does soil maintain plant-human-animal health and productivity?” arises. This indicates toward synergistic concept between soil and living organisms. However, adopting eco-model in varying land use (agriculture, forestry, agroforestry, and other farming practices) helps to minimize the soil degradation and ensures higher productivity. But the main problem is that “how does eco-designing of varying land use systems ensure healthy and quality soil?”. Climate-smart agriculture, conservation agriculture, zero-tillage practices, use of cover crop, mulching, and soil water conservation practices are intrinsic parts of eco-designing or eco-models. These practices ensure healthy and productive ecosystem that makes a pathway for sustainable development (SD). Eco-designing for sustainable soil management practices promotes the storage and sequestration of carbon (C) as soil organic C pools which leads to C balance. Above- and belowground biomass productions, rhizosphere biology, microbial populations, earthworm and other organisms, etc. modify soil health and productivity. Higher nutrient use efficiency, C cycling, water regulation and purification, erosion control, higher biomass and C stocks, food and nutritional security, and higher economy of farmers can be ensured through healthy eco-models. Therefore, eco-designing of different land use systems ensures a healthy ecosystem and environment. Eco-modeling modifies ES in more sustainable ways without disturbing our environment. Thus, adopting eco-designing models in soils promises higher productivity and profitability and ensures SD of the world. In this context, a government and public policy will strengthen the ecosystem health by adopting a sustainable soil-based eco-model. A scientific-based research and design add another effort to drive these eco-design practices in more efficient and productive way to ensure the global SD. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.