speak for soil life
November, 19 2024.
In this issue:
- burrowing owls!
- a guide for writing about soil biodiversity
- research we presented at a conference last week
FROM THE AUTHOR
Hello, my friends
As the future of Earth's climate, biodiversity, and natural world becomes increasingly imperiled, I will advocate for soil education and conservation even more urgently. Today's newsletter shares some of what I have been working on lately. I am envisioning how I can best use this space to do more to advance our shared goal of soil education and enjoyment. I am glad you are here with me.
Take care and stay curious,
Yamina
PROFILES
Not quite a soil profile, but rather a recent photo of some of our team members (Hana, Ona, Anna, and me) out collecting soil samples at a local grow-to-donate farm. We are studying how compost additions impact soil biology in these clayey soils. This kind of place-based, hands-on education is what we are all about. I am always trying to figure out how we can do more of it.
Share your recent soil profile sightings with us! Email your photo to wonderofsoil@outlook.com with a caption that includes a general location and I might feature it in a future issue.
SPEAK FOR SOIL LIFE
Soils are home to a perplexing diversity of organisms. From tiny bacteria, to ubiquitous nematodes, to cute burrowing owls, and everything in between - soils support some of Earth's most unique organisms. But just because they live beneath the surface and are often out of view, doesn't mean these critters are protected from human activities. In fact, soil organisms are threatened by soil disturbance, erosion, climate change, and environmental pollution. Despite this, soil biodiversity is often overlooked in conservation advocacy and policy.
We need more people talking about soil biodiversity and advocating for conservation. To help more folks speak for soil life, we developed a guide for preparing essays about soil biodiversity. Based on a review of existing communication approaches used by soil scientists, we explore how writers can better advocate for soil biodiversity. We suggest carefully selecting messages that resonate with their audience, communicating strategically within a persuasive frame, and amplifying diverse perspectives. We explain all of this and include a list of writing prompts in our recent paper, available open access and free to read!
Read more here: Pressler, Y., McClymonds, B. B., Balgopal, M. B., (2024). Communicating about soil biodiversity: insights from science editorials and future recommendations.
Burrowing owls near the Salton Sea, CA (photo by the author)
How are you talking about soil with your friends, family, community members, and audience? I would love to hear about your experiences. Send me a note and tell me what you are up to: wonderofsoil@outlook.com.
NEWS AND UPDATES
I spent last week at the Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. I'll share more reflections and unpack what I learned later, but for now here are some links to research we shared at the meeting:
- I presented a talk called "Writing with soils: how we make meaning in soil science". You can read my presentation notes here.
- Undergraduate students, Cody and Nabila, presented their findings from an ongoing research project examining the impacts of sequential, high severity fires on soil nematode communities. Congrats, team! Check out their poster here.