Soils are a vital part of the natural environment, with their properties influencing the types of plants and animals that thrive & the ways in which we use them. Soils help maintain the quality and supply of water and play a key role in carbon and nutrient cycles.
Australia has ancient soils that are complex, typically low in organic matter & nutrients and are susceptible to erosion. Combine this with a changing climate and increasing pressure to produce more food & fibre and the challenges to successful management of our soils are very real.
