Key facts about soil

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Key facts You should know about Soil:

Soil makes up the outermost layer of our planet and is formed from rocks and decaying plants and animals.
Soil has varying amounts of organic matter (living and dead organisms), minerals, and nutrients.
An average soil sample is 45 percent minerals, 25 percent water, 25 percent air, and five percent organic matter. Different-sized mineral particles, such as sand, silt, and clay, give soil its texture.
Topsoil is the most productive soil layer.
Ten tonnes of topsoil spread evenly over a hectare is only as thick as a one Euro coin.
Natural processes can take more than 500 years to form 2 centimetres of topsoil.
In some cases, 5 tonnes of animal life can live in one hectare of soil.
Fungi and bacteria help break down organic matter in the soil.
Earthworms digest organic matter, recycle nutrients, and make the surface soil richer.
Roots loosen the soil, allowing oxygen to penetrate. This benefits animals living in the soil. They also hold soil together and help prevent erosion.
A fully functioning soil reduces the risk of floods and protects underground water supplies by neutralising or filtering out potential pollutants and storing as much as 3750 tonnes of water per hectare.
Soil scientists have identified over 10,000 different types of soil in Europe.
Soil stores 10% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions.

European Commission - Joint Research Centre
Institute for Environment and Sustainability
Contacts:
Marc Van Liedekerke(tel. +39-0332-785179)
Panos Panagos (tel. +39-0332-785574)