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Module 3
What threatens soils and the life within them? How can we protect these vital ecosystems?
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Overview — What to expect in Module 3
In Module 3, you have the chance to find out more about soil threats in specific parts of Europe. For example, we’ve prepared case studies on soil organic matter decline in Austria, erosion in Norway and Portugal and a topic on soil sealing with examples from Norway and Austria.
Watch the introductory video to find out more!
Imagine to walk outside, look at the leaves under your feet, or peek at plant roots in a garden. That seemingly ordinary material forms part of a hidden world beneath us – soil organic matter (SOM). This hidden world stores water, cycles nutrients, supports soil life, and even influences the climate. In this topic, you will explore why SOM matters, what causes its decline, and how human actions in forests and farmland can protect and rebuild it. A real-world case study from Austria will illustrate challenges and opportunities.
After completing this topic, you will be able to:
Imagine standing on a hillside after a heavy storm. Rainwater rushes downhill, carrying away tiny particles of soil that may have taken hundreds of years to form. A few months later, strong winds sweep across a dry, exposed field, lifting fertile topsoil into the air and leaving the land less productive. These scenes illustrate soil erosion, a natural process that has shaped landscapes for millions of years, but one that is increasingly intensified by human activities and unsustainable land management.
In this topic, you will discover how water drives soil erosion and why some landscapes are more vulnerable than others. You will explore the environmental, social, and economic factors that influence erosion risk, from climate and topography to farming practices and land-use decisions. Through real-world examples, you will examine how soil erosion affects ecosystems, reduces agricultural productivity, impacts water quality, and creates challenges for communities and economies.
Most importantly, you will learn how erosion can be prevented and managed. By exploring sustainable land management practices, landscape planning approaches, and soil conservation measures, you will gain insight into how scientists, farmers, policymakers, and local communities work together to protect one of our most valuable natural resources: soil.
After completing this topic, you will be able to
The goal of this topic is to introduce you to soil biodiversity and to explore the many important ecosystem services that soil organisms provide. You will also learn about the main causes of soil biodiversity loss, often related to land use change and management, as well as the consequences of biodiversity loss for soil functions. Lastly, common measures and best management practices to improve soil biodiversity are presented. Enjoy exploring the hidden life beneath our feet!
After completing this topic, you will be able to:
Peatland degradation is a serious soil threat. Since 1800, the global area of peatlands has been substantially reduced as a result of climate change and human activities, particularly drainage and land conversion for agriculture and forestry. Increasing pressure on peatlands threatens the many functions, services, and resources they provide. The problem is particularly pronounced in Europe, where a substantial part of the original peatland area has been lost and many remaining peatlands are degraded.
In Module 2, Peat Cover Stories, we explored how peatlands form and develop over thousands of years, with a particular focus on the Netherlands. But the peat landscape in the western part of the Netherlands has changed dramatically since people began to drain, cultivate, and exploit these peatlands.
In the next three lessons, we will explore the threats facing peatlands and what can be done to preserve them. We start by looking at peatland degradation globally and in Europe, before following the remarkable transformation of the Dutch peat landscape from extensive wetlands to the characteristic peat meadow landscape we know today.
After completing this topic, you will be able to:
The goal of this topic is to help you understand what anthropogenic soil sealing is, how widespread it is, why it happens, and how it affects soil functions. You will also learn how soil sealing can be identified and explore common measures used to mitigate its negative impacts on soil.
After completing this topic, you will be able to:
