Soil organic matter is crucial for the provision of soil ecosystem services and functions, as it reduces soil degradation such as erosion and compaction, while increasing the buffering, water-holding, infiltration and cation exchange capacity of the soil. Soil organic matter can improve not only the structural stability of soils, but also the development of biomass, including an increase in crop yields. Additionally, soil organic matter positively affects soil biodiversity and can increase the amount of carbon sequestered in soils and therefore the soil organic carbon stocks, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Text as published in the Official Journal, reproduced verbatim (including any typographical quirks of the source). For the authentic version, see EUR-Lex.
