How Important Is Carbon?

Yes, it is a fact that our soils are carbon deficient, more often than not and that Soil Biology needs carbon to function properly. It is also a fact that there is excess carbon in the form of CO2 in the air. We released CO2 from our soils into the atmosphere through decades of conventional Land Management. Every time we break open our topsoils, apply chemical fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides, compact soil by overgrazing or driving over it, we destroy Soil Biology, and Carbon gets released into the atmosphere. Returning Carbon from the atmosphere back into the soil is called sequestration and is achieved by improving Soil Biology.

However, let’s not develop a Carbon-tunnel vision. There are so many more benefits to improving Soil Biology which are equally as important. Biodiversity, nutrient density in food and improved soil structure. The water storage capacity increases with healthy soil biology, mitigating droughts, floods and bushfires. Healthy Soil Biology also contributes to public health.

Underlying are biological cycles that are all interdependent. If we focus on Carbon alone, that fine balance becomes undone and detrimental to Soil Health.