Soils in the Anthropocene: Hazards, challenges and opportunities

Soils provide the substrate for 95% of human food and essential ecosystem services, such as water regulation and biodiversity, while also serving as the most efficient CO₂ sink on the Earth’s surface. However, soil degradation poses a major threat, with significant changes in most of the Earth’s soil attributed to human activities. Common soil hazards in the Anthropocene include: (i) soil compaction, (ii) salinization, (iii) soil contamination, (iv) landslides, (v) decline in soil organic matter, and (vi) soil erosion. Anthropogenic activities greatly impact soil organic carbon (SOC) through land use and land cover changes, agricultural practices, and land management. Indirect effects, such as wildfires, also influence SOC dynamics. Most studies indicate that land use and land cover changes, along with land management, have a greater impact on SOC than the direct effects of climate change. Soil erosion, though a natural process, is significantly exacerbated by anthropogenic factors, leading to a drastic increase in global erosion rates in the Anthropocene. Numerous challenges, opportunities and knowledge gaps have been identified. However, a deeper understanding of both natural and human-induced soil hazards and challenges is necessary. This short review, highlights that a significant amount of work is still needed to fully comprehend the impacts of human activities on soil. Continued research, exploring new questions, is crucial.