~Circulation loop around the soil and agriculture/environment~
Plants absorb all essential elements from the soil, except for carbon, which they take in from the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Therefore, the elements humans consume ultimately originate from the components of soil. Human life and health are sustained by eating healthy crops grown in good soil. Likewise, when plants and animals die, they return to the soil through the activity of soil organisms. In this way, much of life on Earth exists within the cyclical processes centered around soil.
However, modern civilization has caused environmental destruction on a global scale. Human activities have damaged farmland and soil—the very foundations that nurture life—and have degraded water and atmospheric environments. For humanity to continue benefiting from the rich blessings of nature, it is essential to maintain and preserve soil-related cycles in a healthy condition.
In our Laboratory of Soil Conservation, we conduct foundational education and research aimed at achieving these goals. Our work includes scientific investigations of soil from a physical perspective, research on maintaining and improving soil environments that support healthy crop growth, and studies on environmental measures related to soil, water, and the atmosphere.
