Summary
Published in Environmental Chemistry Letters, this review by de Vries et al. (2019) presents an emerging framework for understanding how soil health underpins human health, covering pathways such as mineral and micronutrient transfer through the food chain, soil microbiome interactions, and the consequences of soil degradation for disease risk. The paper synthesises interdisciplinary evidence to argue that soil management decisions carry direct and indirect public health implications. It positions the soil–human health nexus as a priority area requiring integrated research and policy attention.
UK applicability
Although the paper takes a global perspective, its findings are highly relevant to UK conditions given ongoing concerns about soil degradation, declining crop mineral density, and the UK government's commitments under the Environmental Land Management scheme to reward sustainable soil stewardship. UK policymakers and agricultural advisers may find the conceptual framework useful for linking soil health indicators to public health co-benefits.
Key measures
Soil nutrient stocks; microbial biodiversity indicators; dietary mineral intake; human disease burden linked to soil degradation; ecosystem service metrics
Outcomes reported
The paper examines how soil quality, microbial diversity, and nutrient availability influence human health through food nutrient density, pathogen exposure, and ecosystem services. It likely synthesises evidence on the pathways connecting soil degradation to nutritional and disease outcomes in human populations.
Topic tags
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