Topics | Umweltbundesamt

Germany is blessed with many different types of soil. In the interest of shedding greater light on the world beneath our feet, each December 5th, on World Soil Day, the Soil of the Year is presented. A panel of experts selects the soil in question. In announcing the Soil of the Year, the panel indicatesamong other things its characteristics, origin and significance for today’s society. read more

Specific types of soil with their own inherent properties form over a lengthy period as the result of the interplay between a host of environmental factors. Germany has a closed soil covering that is strong in many locations and forms a patchwork of many different types of soil. read more

Farm vehicles exert pressure on the soil that varies according to equipment weight. If the weight generated underneath the tires exceeds ground stability, the soil particles are compacted; this in turn degrades soil quality. And as farm equipment grows ever heavier, problems can result. read more

What is needed above all for soil to develop is time, and of course rock, which is the material from which soil develops. Likewise necessary are organic substances, water, air and microorganisms. read more

Germany has many different kinds of soil, which are studied and described by soil scientists. As in the plant kingdom, a distinction is made between the various types of soil. The properties of the numerous so called strong soil types differ greatly in terms of the mechanisms with which they control environmental processes. We human beings are the main beneficiaries of these functions. read more