Healthy soil is the foundation of the food system. It produces healthy crops that in turn nourish people. Maintaining a healthy soil demands care and effort from farmers because farming is not benign. By definition, farming disturbs the natural soil processes including that of nutrient cycling - the release and uptake of nutrients.
When soil humus levels are higher, it takes fewer nutrients to produce crops. Humus and partly decomposed soil organic matter can also greatly increase the water- and nutrient-holding capacities of sandy soils.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
Healthy soil is the foundation of the food system. It produces healthy crops that in turn nourish people. Maintaining a healthy soil demands care and effort from farmers because farming is not benign. By definition, farming disturbs the natural soil processes including that of nutrient cycling - the release and uptake of nutrients.
Answer:
humus
When soil humus levels are higher, it takes fewer nutrients to produce crops. Humus and partly decomposed soil organic matter can also greatly increase the water- and nutrient-holding capacities of sandy soils.