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Page added on November 4, 2013
Civilizations Rise and Fall with Soil Quality: Dangers for Modern Agriculture
Civilizations rise and fall depending on the quality of their soil. With good farmland, cities and towns can flourish. Without it, though, they can easily fall. Now, scientists have revealed that the modern world could suffer a similar fate to past civilizations if soil quality degrades enough.
“Cultivating soil continuously for too long destroys the bacteria which convert the organic matter into nutrients,” said Mary Scholes, one of the researchers, in a news release.
In the past, soil quality was a mystery to farmers. Traditional farmers spoke of soils becoming sick or tired or cold. The general response was to move on to another location until the land recovered. By the mid-20th century, though, soils and plants would be routinely tested to diagnose deficiencies. Soon, companies began flooding soils with a soup of nutrients in order to keep them viable and productive.
In this latest study, the researchers pointed out that in the past, great civilizations have fallen because the failed to prevent the degradation of the soils on which they were founded. Although we try to keep up with production by using modern techniques such as fertilizers, irrigating and plowing, these methods can only go so far. In fact, about one percent of global land area is degraded every year. In Africa, where much of the future growth in agriculture must take place, erosion has reduced yields by eight percent and nutrient depletion is widespread.
The problem is that while modern techniques can lead to an unprecedented increase in food production, they’ve also helped contribute to global warming and the pollution of water sources. Activities associated with modern farming are currently responsible for just under one third of greenhouse gas emissions, and more than half of these originate from the soil.
“Soil fertility is both a biophysical property and a social property–it is a social property because humankind depends heavily on it for food production,” said Bob Scholes, one of the researchers, in a news release.
Modern agriculture doesn’t just degrade water sources and add to greenhouse gas emissions, though. Replacing the fertility-sustaining processes in the soil with a dependence on external inputs has also made the soil ecosystem, and humans, vulnerable to interruptions in the supply of those inputs, for instance due to price shocks. That said, it’s currently not possible to feed the current and future world population with an “organic” approach.
As the world’s population continues to grow, it’s necessarily to take soil erosion and efficient nutrient cycling into account. Without good soil, it’s very likely that various cities and states could suffer.
The findings are published in the journal Science.
12 Comments on "Civilizations Rise and Fall with Soil Quality: Dangers for Modern Agriculture"
action on Mon, 4th Nov 2013 7:57 pm
As the soil quality declines, so has the quality of human beings.
Northwest Resident on Mon, 4th Nov 2013 8:17 pm
The answer to this problem is holistic organic mini-farming. Read this book: Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre. Basically, 720 square feet of properly prepared/maintained growing area will produce MORE than an acre of standard tractor-tilled pesticide and fertilizer enhanced “sponge” soil. The secret is in building up the soil to maintain and enhance the bacteria, versus destroying it. One family can get about 85% of their annual nutritional needs from that 720 square feet if used properly. Add chickens and rabbits and some wild “catch” whenever possible, get everybody doing it, and good-bye junk food and destruction of good farmland, hello better health/nutrition and self-sufficiency.
ghung on Mon, 4th Nov 2013 9:11 pm
Unfortunately “getting everybody doing it” runs smack into overshoot.
Further, when I tried to get “everybody” doing it and enlarged our garden to get the neighbors involved in a community garden, they lasted about 2 years then came up with all sorts of excuses. In 2012, several ‘members’ decided that, if they bought the seeds and plants, “everybody doing it” came down to me doing it. Seems many suburban/urban raised human stock isn’t bred for the rigours of gardening; every day, rain or shine. If, someday, they decide gardening is actually necessary, ‘everybody’ will discover that my plans changed. I’ve divided the enlarged garden into three; one for perennials, two to be rotated bi-annually. The chickens get a section each year for their gardening pleasure.
Another issue is that, as I’ve constantly improved the soil quality, the moles and voles like it even better. Lots of worms and bugs means lots of things that feed on worms and bugs, in amongst the young plant roots.
This year, with the very wet spring and summer, I mainly gardened in containers and beds; still managed to put a lot of stuff by. Shelled and froze the last of the butter beans this weekend. Yum! We grow pole beans and other stuff up the sunny sides of the house to help keep things cool. Lots of pickles, tomatoes and homemade V-8 juice, beans, dried herbs, etc. The blackberry season was phenomenal – then failed. Too wet I guess. There’s the other rub; nature doesn’t always cooperate. That’s why I can extra stuff in good years. We’re still eating tomato sauce from 2012, along with black/raspberry jam, pickles, venison soup, green beans…
Preserving is just about as important as growing. Get a pressure canner. Learn to use it.
Northwest Resident on Mon, 4th Nov 2013 9:36 pm
@ghung — “Unfortunately “getting everybody doing it” runs smack into overshoot.” Excellent point. A time is coming, I think, when those that are physically and mentally able to do it will be the majority of what’s left of the human race. For some reason, I see that as a good thing.
I HATE moles. I discovered that the moles in my little plot usually go active at certain times of the day. I have a spear, I stand and I wait and I watch for the telltale ground movement, and then I strike madly like Captain Ahab riding Moby Dick, stabbing repeatedly into the ground until I feel that “direct hit”. I have shishkabobbed many a mole that way. They make great additions to the compost pile!
Preserving — another great point — if you can’t preserve it, then it doesn’t do a lot of good to grow it. Fermenting looks like another great way to preserve, and I’m going to get serious about experimenting with that in the near future.
J-Gav on Mon, 4th Nov 2013 10:03 pm
Resident – 1/4 acre seems pretty skimpy to me. Then again, that’s what my father and I ran our veg garden on when I was a kid in Michigan. We were hardly dependent on only that, however, and we had an extra acre for biomass – which allowed us boys to do the chopping to heat our rooms in the winter. I confess I never cared much for moles myself … but they probably serve some purpose we’re unaware of. Fishing was good too, both in the lake and in the rivers. Now I live in the city and it’s hard to see how to get that back …
Ghung – I hear ya about getting everybody to do it, even now that I live in a big city. We have shared gardens but they tend to peter out because all the “really motivated” people at the beginning disappear when it comes to getting your hands dirty – everybody’s got an excuse. Damn I need to get back to the country somewhere (with at least one acre if possible). Sounds like a good tip on canning, by the way.
J-Gav on Mon, 4th Nov 2013 10:13 pm
As for the article, it’s pretty weak shit. “Cultivating soil continuously for too long destroys the bacteria which convert the organic matter into nutrients.” No kidding! Oh surprise! That must be why some 70-90% of soils in most developed countries will starve once the fossil fuels are gone, unless a concerted effort is made to regenerate them.
ghung on Mon, 4th Nov 2013 11:54 pm
@ J-Gav, Re. Canning. Many folks think canning is just for gardeners, etc., but I’ll can just about anything. It’s about as easy to make a giant pot of soup or chili as it is to make a small one, and really cheap if stuff is on sale. I’ll make a big pot of soup and can a dozen pints for later. Much better than store bought soup and I have control of sodium and other ingredients; no funny stuff. Having a couple of dozen jars of homemade goodies in the pantry saves time, money and waste, months later. At present, I have jars of chicken soup, beef barley soup, chili, bar be que, and some venison stew in the root cellar, along with the vegetables and tomato juice, ready for a quick lunch or my wife to take to work.
Contrary to popular belief, pressure canning doesn’t destroy most of the nutritional value of foods. Indeed, studies show that some nutrients are made more available to the body after being pressure canned.
The big box stores sell a good 16 qt. Presto pressure cooker/canner for about $60. With a little practice, one can develop a system making processing intentional leftovers easy. The initial investment may take a little time to recover, but hey. I recently calculated that a quart of chicken soup costs me about 65 cents to put by, including canning lid, after the jars are paid for. I’m still using my mother’s jars after 30 years or longer. I pay under $10 for a dozen new jars. Lids have gone up some, but I still get them for about 12 cents each. Reusable lids are available ($$). A canning kit (Ball) is available for about $7; jar funnel, tongs, magnetic lid grabber. Get a good timer as well.
Re. moles: My problem is I love moles; remarkable little creatures which I think are cute; beautifully adapted to their life of aerating soil, fertilizing and transporting bacteria around their world. Oh well… I have a standard poodle who takes care of the problem with amazing efficiency. Now if I could train her to not dig up the asparagus.
DMyers on Tue, 5th Nov 2013 1:25 am
It seems we’re going to follow the path of previous civilizations. It will probably turn out, in every respect. The fact that you can’t fool mother nature has never changed.
There’s nothing wrong with the soil, that a good, rich, steamy pile of shit wouldn’t cure. No, I beg your pardon and take that back. A stretch of empty time is needed here and there, and that’s what we can’t endure.
BillT on Tue, 5th Nov 2013 1:51 am
Most soil in the US is nothing more than brown sand without petrochemical ‘aid’. Rotating crops and letting a field ‘rest’ for a year is no longer common. Nor is variety. When you plant a whole state in nothing but wheat, then complain because disease and pests lower yield, you are screwed when the pesticides and herbicides are no longer available. Not that we haven’t already breed a good crop of super weeds diseases and insects that we will have to deal with eventually. No, the die-back will be hard and fast when hydrocarbons go away.
GregT on Tue, 5th Nov 2013 2:38 am
We also can just about everything. Soups, stews, vegetables, fruits, and meat.
Thanks for the reminder. The old canner is getting a bit rusty. One more thing to add to list of things to get, while the getting is still good.
Frank Kling on Tue, 5th Nov 2013 8:42 am
Northwest Resident says: ‘I HATE MOLES. I STRIKE MADLY WITH MY SPEAR.”
You are emblematic of humanity. Anything that interferes with what you want is the enemy. Shame on you.
We have learned to live in peace and harmony with the moles, voles, and God’s other creatures who have as much right to live as do you. We love our moles and voles as they consume harmful garden insects.
Stop making war and be kind to the Earth.
bobinget on Tue, 5th Nov 2013 2:27 pm
Farmers think of themselves as custodians of the various soils on their own and neighbors properties.
We are acutely aware of how over time soils lose productivity.
While my crops, blue and raspberries, tree fruits don’t require yearly plowing or ‘No Till’ soil preparation,
feeding our soils is high of to-do lists.
Without grains, farmed on massive acreages there is no way world farmers can feed seven, eight or nine billion.
For most Americans it’s difficult for us to imagine one city hemmed on on all sides by mountains or water or
another city, with half the population of Canada.