Hidden Geoheritage
Soils Beneath Our Feet
Despite its agricultural and scientific value, soil is an often overlooked and hidden aspect of geodiversity. In their 2021 article, “Principles for Developing a National Soil Heritage Inventory,” Botelho and Brilha argue that this disregard for the importance of soil diversity has led to its exclusion from site inventories. Only the geological features listed on these inventories can benefit from any conservation-based legal protection, which results in soil being excluded from legal protections and living within the blind spot of the public eye. But what makes soil such an abundant source of geodiversity?
“Soils are considered the most “hidden” geoheritage on the planet.” (Botelho 2020)
Soils worldwide are extremely diverse due to the five soil-forming factors proposed by Jenny (1941). These factors are parent material, climate, biota, topography, and time. Parent material is the initial source of minerals and organic matter that make up the soil. Climate influences the rate and type of weathering, leaching, erosion, and deposition processes that affect the soil. Biota refers to the living organisms that contribute to soil formation, such as plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria. Topography determines the land surface’s shape and drainage, affecting soil moisture and temperature. Time is the duration of soil development, ranging from thousands to millions of years. Different combinations of these factors result in different types of soils with distinct physical, chemical, and biological properties.
Soils around the world are highly diverse due to the five soil-forming factors proposed by Jenny (1941)
Botelho and Brilha (2021) go on to say, “…soil should also be considered geoheritage because it helps to uncover and understand the Earth’s history through its organizational structure, attributes, and location in the landscape”.
The properties of each soil determine what crops grow best, where and how to construct buildings, and other vital determiners of how society will look and function. This makes soil one of the driving factors in human history, as it has affected the agriculture and architecture of every human society that has ever existed and is, therefore, a significant factor when studying geoheritage.
“The recognition of the scientific value of soils and their configuration as geological heritage is urgent. This element of geodiversity has not been properly considered a key element in the discovery and understanding of the Earth’s surface processes, its current configuration and constitution” (Botelho 2021).
