ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the inter-connectivity between the health of soil, plants, animals, and people and provide specific examples of the adverse effects on health of plants, animals, and people with the degradation of soil quality and its functionality because of adverse changes in soil's physical, chemical, biological, and ecological properties. Soil health is affected by physical, chemical, biological, and ecological properties. Soil chemical properties, in relation to plant and animal health, include its capacity to retain and supply essential macro- and micronutrients. Soil processes also affect human health through alterations of water and air quality, and moderation of micro- and meso-climates. The impact of climate change—drought, flooding, storms, increased temperature, increased salinity, increased variability—likely has mixed and largely unknown effects on soil microorganisms. Climate change increasingly adversely affects how soil health impacts human health. Thus, sustainable management of soil health is essential to improve human health and advance Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
