| Popis: |
For the last two centuries, humans have been changing the Earth through their way of life. Our actions are not only causing climate change and leading to prolonged periods of drought, they are also leading to an overaccumulation of nutrients in soil, due to burning of fossil fuels and fertilization of agricultural fields. Both factors are threatening the world beneath our feet: the soils. They may look rather boring and lifeless, but soils are actually home to many organisms—from tiny bacteria to agile millipedes and slimy earthworms—all of which contribute to processes that are indispensable to life on Earth. For example, the activity of these organisms promotes decomposition of plantmaterial, which ensures that the farmlands on which we grow our food remain fertile. As almost all soil organisms are very sensitive to changes in their environments,wewanted to knowwhatwould happen if drought and over-fertilization occurred together |
