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https://theconversation.com/healthy-soil-can-protect-land-from-soaring-heat-but-our-map-shows-where-soil-is-suffering-283079>
"Imagine walking into a double-brick house on a scorching 40°C summer day – it
feels cool almost straight away. Now imagine stepping into a corrugated tin
shed – it feels like an oven. The difference is simple: some materials slow
heat down, while others let it rush through.
Soil works in a similar way. Soil in fully functioning condition can act as a
thermal buffer: a giant shock absorber for temperature. It holds water and
organic matter such as leaf litter, and slows sharp changes in temperature.
But when soil becomes dry, bare or damaged, that protection weakens. During
heatwaves, the roots of crop plants may be sitting in rapidly heating soil.
Our new research shows Australia has “thermal gaps” in large areas. A thermal
gap is the difference between a soil’s natural ability to absorb heat and keep
temperatures steady, and what it is actually doing now after years of farming,
land use change and a warming climate. In some areas, especially across
southeastern and central Australia, soils are no longer protecting plants from
heat as well as they could.
This matters because soil is not just dirt under our feet. It is a buffer
against climate change. Soil controls how heat and moisture move between the
land and the atmosphere. When soil loses its buffering power, ground
temperatures can rise more quickly.
This can reduce plant growth, lower crop and pasture production, and even
affect local weather and climate over large areas."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
