The role of soil invertebrates in maintaining the health of agricultural land

Soil is an environment inhabited by a multitude of invertebrates, including ants, beetles, millipedes, and other organisms. Scientists, Frank Ashwood in particular, note that the characteristic sounds—clicks, squeaks, and rustles made by these creatures as they move—serve as an indicator of soil health. According to observations, the higher the level of activity and "noisiness" of underground inhabitants, the higher the quality of the soil substrate.

Organic residues play an important role in maintaining soil health. The previously common practice of completely clearing areas of fallen wood has been reconsidered: it is now known that dead wood supports up to 40 percent of forest organisms. At the same time, soil biodiversity includes both common and unique species, such as parthenogenetic mites, Asian jumping worms, and the Badischer Riesenregenwurm, which inhabits the Black Forest in Germany and reaches a length of 2 feet.

For the development of agriculture, biomass is an important indicator. For example, in undisturbed pastures that have not been subjected to chemical treatment, the volume of living biomass can reach 100 tons per hectare, which is comparable to the weight of 15 African bush elephants under a standard rugby pitch. Frank Ashwood advocates for agroforestry systems or "silvopasture"—a combination of agricultural land with trees and shrubs, which is characteristic of many traditional European farmlands.

Given that at least a third of the world's soils have undergone degradation of varying degrees of severity, the issue of preserving the biological activity of the soil becomes critically important for the future productivity of the land.