Summary
This paper, published in the inaugural issue of the EGU journal Soil, reviews the multiple pathways through which soil condition influences human health, encompassing nutritional quality of food, exposure to soil-borne pathogens and contaminants, and broader ecosystem service provision. Brevik and Sauer synthesise interdisciplinary evidence to argue that soil health is a foundational determinant of human wellbeing, often underappreciated in public health and agricultural policy. The review likely serves as a framing piece for the emerging field of soil–health linkages, drawing on global case studies and disciplinary literature from soil science, nutrition, and epidemiology.
UK applicability
Although the review is international in scope, its findings are broadly applicable to UK conditions, particularly regarding soil degradation, declining mineral density in food crops, and the importance of soil policy within the UK's post-Brexit agricultural framework including the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Key measures
Soil nutrient status; food mineral and micronutrient content; disease burden indicators; soil degradation metrics
Outcomes reported
The paper examines linkages between soil properties, soil degradation, and human health, likely covering pathways through food nutrient density, soil-borne pathogens, and ecosystem services. It reviews evidence connecting soil quality to nutritional and disease outcomes in human populations.
Topic tags
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