The silent witness: How soil dynamics are influenced by climate change

Climate is one of the five soil forming factors, yet the role of climate change in impacting soils has often been overlooked. Climate change can influence many aspects of soil development and functioning including mineral weathering through to organic matter decomposition. Increased temperatures can initiate feedback loops on soil processes leading to reduced productivity, but these could be ameliorated by considering options to increase soil organic matter and thus improve soil productivity whilst also reducing the rate of carbon dioxide loss from the soil to the atmosphere. There are numerous uncertainties that are important to resolve because understanding the intricate relationships between climate factors and soil systems is crucial for addressing agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability in a rapidly changing world. Against this background, this paper describes how soil dynamics are influenced by climate change. Managing the various impacts of climate change on soil dynamics, through harnessing traditional and current initiatives, is important to maintain soil productivity. • Healthy soils are important carbon sinks. • Climate change impacts soil dynamics, leading to negative feedback loops. • A reduction of soil productivity negatively impacts crop growth. • Elevated atmospheric CO 2 affects soil nutrient cycling and biological fluxes. • Reductions in soil moisture influence water availability for biological processes. • Harnessing traditional methods may help maintain soil productivity.