A groundbreaking soil-health measuring technique could help avert famine and drought, scientists have said. The method, dubbed 'soilsmology', uses seismology – a technology typically used for measuring down to the Earth's crust, understanding earthquakes and detecting hydrocarbons – to assess soil for the first time.
The Earth Rover programme, convened by soil experts, places a piece of metal on the soil, hits it with a hammer and measures the waves. These bounce back off hard surfaces such as rocks or compacted soil and travel through the structure of holes made by earthworms and microorganisms, providing a fine-grained map of what is happening underground. The waves can also detect dryness and the extent of microbial life, helping farmers know when to water or add organic matter.
The non-profit company, co-founded by Guardian columnist George Monbiot and soil ecologist Prof Simon Jeffery, aims to create a free app for farmers to measure soil health and receive advice. 'Soil is one of our most precious resources,' said Jeffery. '99% of the calories we consume come from the soil... without soil we would not be here.'
Poor agricultural practices, erosion and extreme weather have damaged soils worldwide, with global crop yields forecast to reduce by 50% in some regions. Peter Mosongo, a soil scientist in Kenya, said the technology could be life-changing for African farmers, who often lack access to soil testing labs. 'We can tell farmers the problems with their soil and then they can increase their yield,' he said.
Current soil maps are too coarse: even the UK's best map has a 5km x 5km grid, missing variations within fields. Jeffery noted that at Harper Adams University, the map indicated only three soil types, but the technique found 18. The situation is worse in Africa, where maps rely on few samples, hampering efforts to address fertility and flooding.
