2015, International Year of Soils

Soil is one of the most valuable resources we have because it is what supports the life of plant and animal species, and it is essential for human life on Earth. There are numerous definitions of soil and concepts of what it is, but in broad terms it can be defined as an interface between the lithosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. This interface is an extremely thin layer in comparison with the lithosphere itself, with a thickness of only a few decimeters or a few meters in extreme cases. However, such a limited thickness is sufficient to form the basis of terrestrial ecosystems, including those that support agricultural, livestock and forestry activities. (Author)