Life in Soil: Does it matter?
A Royal Society of Edinburgh biodiversity discussion forum ‘Life in soil: Does it matter?’ took place on the 24th February 2016. It invited the audience to think about the critically important role that soil plays in human life and society.
Soil and the many thousands of species contained within it can easily be overlooked, but soils are one of the most diverse and important ecosystems on the planet and the huge array of soil organisms, their roles and consequently their impact on people formed the key focus for a vibrant, interactive discussion.
The videos available on this page offer in-depth interviews with eminent scientists from the ‘Life in soil: Does it matter?’ event. Professor Lorna Dawson interviews Professor Richard Bardgett, Professor of Ecology at the University of Manchester; Professor Colin Campbell, Chief Executive of the James Hutton Institute; Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, Scientific Director of the Moredun Research Institute; and Susan Davies, acting Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage. Between them, they share over one hundred years’ worth of combined expertise and provide an overview of the importance of soils at both a local and a global scale.
In addition, Professor Lorna Dawson introduces and summarises the interviews, and emphasises why the general public’s view of soil is important. The audience finds out which soil organism is their favourite.