• Soil plays a vital role in the Earth’s ecosystem, where healthy soils safeguard ecosystem services.
• Soil provides ecosystem services critical for life (feed, fiber, food and fuel).  
• 360,000 animal species lives in soil.
• Soil filters water, is a growing medium, provides habitats for organisms (a single teaspoon of soil contains up to 1 billion bacteria and more than 4000 species), it cycles nutrients, is a source of essential manufacturing and construction material, and provides a foundation for cities.
• Soils are strongly connected to human well-being.

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