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Issue: Land condition - Soil stability and quality

This is an issue under the Land theme of the Data Reporting System.

Why we need to know about this issue

Soil is created partly from the remains of plants, animals and other biota and is held together, shaded and watered by the vegetation that grows in it. Most vegetation cannot grow without it. Soil carbon levels and soil stability are affected by changes in vegetation but, in turn, affect the land’s capacity to sustain vegetation.

Where unstable soil is lifted as dust it can affect air quality and can also place pressure on land, human settlements and even the ocean when it is deposited. When excess soil is washed into inland waters it can cause turbidity affecting aquatic life.

Indicators

• LD-04 Area and change in area of exposed soil surface contributing to erosion 
  Soil stability is essential to the health of the vegetation growing in it and the other biodiversity inhabiting that vegetation. However, vegetation is also essential to maintaining soil stability.
  Area of exposed soil is therefore indicative of both the current and future condition of land.
• LD-05 Terrestrial carbon loss rate and rate of land carbon sequestration 
  Carbon is an essential component of the chemistry of all organisms. Carbon cycles between the atmosphere, the soil, the vegetation that grows in the soil and the other life that inhabits and feeds on the vegetation. Soil carbon is essential for plant growth and carbon is returned to the soil through the decay of organic matter. The condition of the land is dependent on the availability of terrestrial carbon. Rates of loss and sequestration are indicative of the carbon status of the land and therefore of this aspect of its condition.
• LD-26 Dust storm index 
  Soil stability is essential to the health of the vegetation growing in it and the other biodiversity inhabiting that vegetation. However, vegetation is also essential to maintaining soil stability.
  Area of exposed soil is therefore indicative of both the current and future condition of land.
• LD-39 Change in biomass stock 
  Biomass is a measure of quantity of the total mass of matter that is currently engaged in being alive. For soil to provide the nutrients required by the plants and other biota that grow in it, those nutrients need to be replenished by the ongoing breakdown of organic matter. This presumes the ongoing presence of biomass to provide that ongoing supply of organic matter.

Related issues

• Land - Land condition- Condition of terrestrial genetic diversity 
• Land - Land condition- Condition of terrestrial species and ecological communities 
• Land - Land condition- Land cover 
• Land - Land condition- Hydrology 
• Land - Direct pressure of human activities on the land- Soil loss and loss of soil quality 
• Land - Contributions and pressures between the land and the atmosphere- Airborne substances 
• Land - Contributions and pressures between the land and inland water- Pressures of changes to the land on inland waters 
• Atmosphere - Air quality- Regional air quality 
• Inland Waters - Catchment scale influences- Land and vegetation condition- Erosion 
• Inland Waters - Catchment scale influences- Land and vegetation condition- Nutrients and sediments - sources and loads 
• Inland Waters - Habitat scale influences- In-stream habitat - woody debris and sand slugs