Soil trace elements & food security

Summary

This review, published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, synthesises current understanding of trace element biogeochemistry in soils and its relationship to food quality and human nutritional security. It likely covers the global distribution of deficient and toxic trace element levels in agricultural soils, the factors governing plant uptake, and the downstream consequences for human health. The paper is expected to highlight agronomic and policy interventions — such as biofortification and soil amendment strategies — that could address micronutrient gaps in food systems.

UK applicability

The findings are broadly applicable to UK agriculture, where selenium and iodine deficiencies in soils are well-documented, particularly in upland and acidic soils in Scotland and Wales; the review's recommendations on soil management and biofortification are likely relevant to UK agri-environment and food security policy.

Key measures

Soil trace element concentrations (mg/kg); crop uptake and bioavailability; prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in human populations; soil-plant transfer coefficients

Outcomes reported

The review likely examines the bioavailability, distribution, and cycling of trace elements (including selenium, zinc, iron, and iodine) in soils and their transfer into food crops, with implications for human micronutrient deficiency. It probably assesses how soil management, geochemistry, and agricultural practices influence trace element concentrations in food.

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