The soil plays a key role on our planet, feeding over seven billion people with products produced from it. Soil has numerous additional functions in addition to the role it plays in agricultural production, however. It stores water, CO2 and nutrients, filters drinking water, protects against erosion, and harbours an enormous variety and number of organisms, making it one of the most diverse habitats on Earth. Recently, the political implications of the soil and topics associated with it (plant-protection products in the soil, soil as a CO2 sink, soil sealing in Switzerland, soil biodiversity loss, sustainable and location-appropriate use of the soil) have grown, underscoring the importance of soil research activities. The main goals of this research field are to derive a set of measures to:
- strengthen soil ecosystem functions through sustainable, location-appropriate use of the soil,
- improve the soil structure, and
- build up organic substance. In addition, research is conducted on the importance of soil biodiversity and on the impact of residues of plant-protection products and other harmful substances on soil organisms and functions.
For the federal government and cantons, information on the pollution situation and the extent to which Swiss soils fulfil their functions is indispensable for the proactive assessment of soil risks and sensitivities and for the initiating of any necessary measures. The Swiss Soil Monitoring Network (NABO) provides information on this issue in the form of long-term data series and data analyses with respect to current soil-protection issues.
