Soil and Humans: A Comparative and A Pictorial Mini-Review

Abstract

Soil is an essential component in the ecological system that supports human life with needed food for humans, feeds for animals, fibers, fuels, building materials, and other necessities. However, soil suffers from a number of problems caused by humans, presented here in pictorial form. This review will take us on a narrative journey through soils with a focus on the soil-human relationship and its impact on soil ecosystems. Soil has direct and indirect relationships to humans, starting with the crucial roles of soil in human life, including its support of human civilization through ecosystem services, sustainable agriculture, and human health. It is essential and urgent to manage soils for health and sustainability by building the soil-food-environment-health nexus. This work is an attempt to highlight major roles that soil plays in human life in a presentation that is more photos and less words, because one photo is worth one thousand words.