Secrets of the Soil

Learn how the hidden world just beneath the surface could hold the key to our climate and and energy future. Eoin Brodie explores how shifting rainfall patterns affect the soil and the carbon cycle. Janet Jansson looks at the potential of microbes in the soil to lead to better biofuels or to help scientists understand the planet's carbon cycle. Margaret Torn examines what will happen to the carbon in soil as the climate changes. Trent Northen explores how soil microbes adapt to extreme environments. Moderated by John Harte, who holds a joint professorship in the Energy and Resources Group and the Ecosystem Sciences Division of UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources. Series: "Science at the Theater" [2/2012] [Science] [Show ID: 23269]

[@OldJackWolf]

Although very interesting, I find it odd that the panel of scientists did not even have one soil scientist.

[@AtlantaBill]

I agree with +Rj Aquaponics. The purpose of the panel discussion seems to be to support the anthropogenic global-warming hoax, not to convey knowledge about topsoil health.

[@StrikeforceJedi]

omg shut up.

[@braeburn2333]

There is a cruise line offering arctic cruises through the formerly un-passable Northwest Passage. If you don't believe the arctic is melting fast by looking at the data (which comes from many many sources around the world), then go see for yourself. I believe cruise ship is called the Chrystal Serenity. If the data is correct, the north pole will be ice free in about 5 years. Hmmmm is that from the "grand solar minimum?" :-) No, its from putting 30% more insulation on the planet over the past 200 years.

[@jasamkrafen]

Could be called arctic warming. The rest of the globe... idk

[@Jefferdaughter]

The Savory Institute (see KZbin) and Holistic Management Int'l, among others, have data demonstrating that grasslands and savannas (grassland with trees) are capable of storing as much carbon in the soil as humans have released since the begining of the Industrial Revolution in a relatively short time- by simply restoring the relationship between large herbivores and these ecosystems with which they co-evolved, including the plants and soil life. This is possible in large part because grasses are highly efficient at pumping carbon into the soil to feed the soil life they live in symbiosis with. See their info for more details. Also the many videos here on KZbin on Dr. Elain Ingham, who makes the complex topic of the soil food web interesting and understandable.

[@npecom]

Thank you, I was about to drop the same name. Allan Savory is addressing the "elephant" in the room re: the increase in arid, brittle environments globally and the capacity of well managed herd animals (see Egypt/Israel comparison beginning at 46:00) to rapidly increase vegetative growth in such environments ( with corresponding increase in carbon sequestration in the soil). Would love to see Savory weigh in on a discussion like this!

[@npecom]

@@AufBerghofNAM No, actually Savory admits that he culled elephants long ago (1950's iirc). He certainly doesn't advocate culling now and greatly regrets doing it then.

[@howardlitson9796]

Thanks for ancient people's intelligent and knowledge. Knowledge can create wealthy

[@joebreskin]

I consider this part of an ongoing G+ discussion called The zen of small tasks: Humus which starts a discussion of 'what to do next' in which I alluded to mechanisms that go beyond sequestration of CO2 into biomass. This video gives a glimpse into the gulf between what microbial ecologists "know" and what we, as geoengineers, clearly need to know if we hope to craft improvements on natural systems that do not carry unintended consequences that eclipse the problems that we had set out to 'solve.

[@Jefferdaughter]

Just a couple thoughts on some of the statements and conclusions presented here... - Discarded plastic is not only showing up in the digestive tracts of ocean life both beneath and above the waves, but has now also been demonstrated to be clogging the gills of sea life. - Carbon is important, but methane is not to be ingnored. See 'Years of Living Dangerously' available on Hulu for more info on the issue of climate change, but also specifically what happened when scientists took a mobile lab in search of methan in cattel country. (Spoiler alert: no methane was detected in the vacinity of cattle, but WAS found leaking from natural gas wells and pipes, though the natural gas industry claimed that the leaks caused by their industry was negligable; and no one questioned their claims.) Those who are unaware that current numbers of large ruminant hervivores both in the USA and worldwide are a small fraction of what they were 200 years ago- and then were in turn a small fraction of what existed a few thousand years ago- the issue of cattle (steers and bulls digest forage as do cows) should consider that during the period that greenhouse gasses have climed, large herbivore numbers have dropped drastically. Therefore, the idea that cattle and other animals whose digestion works the same way as cattle, contributing to global warming via methane production is ludicrous. Aside from the fact that methane is released via eructation, rather than flatulance as is almost universally claimed- revealing ignorance of both bovine and ruminant physiology, any methane produced by the rumen flora dwelling in the GI tracts of cattle is quickly abosrbed by healthy grasslands. (Illustrated in 'Years of Living Danerously', among other places.)

[@GASNICABRUNATNA]

Microplastics have now been found in the human placenta.

[@rjaquaponics9266]

This panel would benefit from watching the documentary called "Cowspiracy"

[@nicewhenearnedrudemostlyel489]

lol. it was quite an eye opener, i just wish he was able to get more data. I just couldn't quite put it down without more, but i'm sure it's helped stir more questions and may help still. i do recommend a watch for anyone thinking about it.

[@vidaripollen]

the bacteria in the cows dung is a very interesting subject..thankyou for this very fine video.

[@666bruv]

Yeah I will give it a go, you want some cash? Cuppla thou perhaps?

[@RickKaiserrsk]

The "carbon cycle" as the second person implies that biodegradation is carbon inclusive. Microbial Life Formations within the soils have a cycle that does not include the "carbon cycle". Fungi and bacteria are just the beginning for plants getting their nutrients. The microbes that feasts on Fungi and the Bacteria establish a mega source of food source for plants to take up.

[@RickKaiserrsk]

Getting rid of weeds in one's yards or gardens is a process of understanding the soils' microbial industry !

[@Jefferdaughter]

The assumption that tropical regions sequester more carbon than temperate regions is a too-often unexamined. While lack of freezing weather is generally an advantage to ecosystems, the presenter (~23:00) is apparantly unaware that photosynthesis slows and stops as temperatures climb past about 85F toward 100+F. Also, more northerly latitudes have the advantage of long days during much of the growing season, allowing plants adapted to those regions to grow rapidly and store abundant amounts of carbon in their structures and in soils during the growing season. (Need a PhD thesis topic? Compare and contrast the ACTUAL productivity of these two regions using the scientific method.) Reportedly the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest is 'the most productive ecosystem on earth', and it has mild winters but is nowhere near the tropics. And it is being compared to severely damaged ecosystems nearly everywhere else... so the true potential of intact ecosystems of other types is currently unknown, or little known.

[@bullsaidart]

Find the book MINERALS FOR THE GENETIC CODE. Gratitude

[@havfaith56]

Korean Natural Farming and Permaculture are healing the earth.

[@mikeharrington5593]

I wonder how many of California's farmers are catching up to soil ecology? At present California dumps 500 tons of pesticides per annum on its soils thus killing a substantial proportion of soil microbes and reducing the soil's ability to sequester carbon in symbiosis with plant life.

[@upplsuckimcool16]

this is a climate change seminar....... soooo not what I expected.

[@MrSeney1]

upplsuckimcool16 thanks by your comment i’m not waste time !

[@a.d.crissman97]

Is this like pbs? Public Media instead of private media

[@howardlitson9796]

Soil is Biogeochemistry, which is belong to mixture either organic or inorganic. Soil through 🔥 from ancient Greeks intelligence metallurgy primitive technology can turn into charcoal iron ore including peat fuel can turn into bog iron. Artificial stone or artificial ore from ancient people's science technology and intelligence

[@RickKaiserrsk]

Who are these people? Anaerobic or Aerobic Believers?

[@davidpatrick1813]

Evolution is not science ... it is faith and imagination ... Darwin said if certain things existed his "theory" (not science) was false... and guess what... still soil and so on does have science and fact ....

[@UhhKarl]

Who's watching this because you were assigned to. 🙃

[@RealEstateInsider247]

I'm all for micro-biology in the soil but not only did Darwin not provide a unifying theory, it is categorically divisive and yet to be proven (RE: John Harte at around 5 min.). This sounds more like a global warming talk.

[@marmci7614]

Barbados news

[@marklewis4793]

..made in america...

[@christianhansen3292]

wish u people would talk louder!

[@christianhansen3292]

YOu guys need to get real jobs looks like none of u have ever lifted a shovel before! lol