Soil is full of amazing life with its own intrinsic value. Just like many other species, we humans benefit from it: Healthy soil not only provides food, feed, fiber and fuel, it also contributes to the stability of the whole Earth system. But living soils are at risk all around the world. So, in this episode, podcaster Anja Krieger and soil ecologist Matthias Rillig take a look into the sustainable future: How can we, as individuals and societies, nurture and restore the ecosystems of the soil? Get ready for the final episode of this series.

Subscribe and learn more on https://rilliglab.org/podcast/Episode transcript: https://rilliglab.org/2021/04/01/life-in-the-soil-podcast-6-sustainability/

Correction (April 6, 2021): Bala Chaudhary is an Assistant Professor at DePaul University, not the University of Chicago.

CREDITS + LINKSProduced by: Anja Krieger and the Rillig Lab https://rilliglab.orgFunded by: Digging Deeper / BiodivERsA www.biodiversa.org/Guest experts in this episode: Katie Field, Marcel van der Heijden, Bala Chaudhary, Maddy Thakur, Yong-Guan Zhu and Richard BardgettCameo voice: Kevin Caners, host of http://www.elephantpodcast.orgStory consultants: Eva Leifheit, Stefan HempelThanks to: Stefanie MaaßCover art: Maren von Stockhausen http://marenvonstockhausen.de/Theme song: Sunfish Moon Light / Future Ecologies www.futureecologies.netMusic: Blue Dot Sessions www.sessions.blueSounds in intro from Saša Spačal's “Transversal Is A Loop” https://www.agapea.si/en/projects/transversal-is-a-loop

The Digging Deeper project was funded through the 2015-2016 BiodivERsA COFUND call for research proposals, with the national funders Swiss National Science Foundation, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Swedish Research Council Formas, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and Agence Nationale de la Recherche.