The Hidden Wonders of Soil | Jane Zelikova | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Under our feet,

在我們的腳下，

there is an unseen world

有一個未被看見的世界，

more diverse than all the tropical rainforests combined.

比所有的熱帶雨林加起來 還更具多樣性。

Teeming with microbial life and critters, large and small,

裡面滿是微生物及大大小小的動物，

this hidden world of soil is on every single continent.

這個隱密的土壤世界

存在於每一塊大陸上。

But most of us know little to nothing about this vast world under our feet.

但大多數人對腳下 這個浩瀚的世界所知甚少。

And for most of my life,

在我人生中大部分的時候， 我也不例外。

I was no exception.

I grew up [a] very curious and adventurous kid.

成長過程中，我是個非常有好奇心

且愛冒險的孩子。

I spent a lot of time climbing trees and falling out of them.

我花了很多時間爬樹， 以及從樹上摔下來，

And I spent a lot of time getting really dirty.

我也花了很多時間 把自己搞得髒兮兮的。

In college, I had to take a class for a science requirement,

大學時，因為學分規定， 我選了一堂課，

and I was shocked to discover that being really curious

而我很驚訝地發現，

對於土壤充滿好奇心和熱愛

and loving dirt could be a legitimate career.

也可能成為正當的職業。

So it took no convincing whatsoever for me to change my major,

完全不用別人說服我，我就轉系了，

and that's how I became an ecologist.

我就這麼成了生態學家。

In graduate school, I studied how the loss of a seed disperser,

在研究所，我研究的是 若失去了種子散播者，

in this case, the winnow ant,

在這個例子，就是盤腹蟻，

affected the plants that they disperse.

靠牠們傳播的植物會受到什麼影響。

In my research site,

在我的研究地點，我們發現 這些盤腹蟻在向上搬遷，

we were discovering that these ants were moving up in elevation

to escape a rapidly changing climate.

原因是快速改變的氣候。

But they were leaving the plants they dispersed behind.

但牠們卻拋下了 牠們傳播的植物不管。

So while I came to grad school to study ants,

雖然我讀研究所是要研究螞蟻，

I all of a sudden found myself studying climate change.

突然間，我也研究起了氣候變遷。

And because ants nest in soils, I had to learn a lot more about soil.

因為螞蟻在土壤中築巢， 我也得學習更多土壤的資訊。

What I couldn't have predicted, as that young, curious, budding ecologist,

身為年輕且好奇的新手 生態學家，我完全沒料到

was that I would spend the next decade of my life

我人生接下來的十年會用來

thinking about the invisible army of soil microbes

思考看不見的土壤微生物大軍，

and how we can harness their awesome powers

以及我們要如何利用 牠們了不起的力量，

to help address climate change.

來協助處理氣候變遷。

But before we get to all of that, let's start at the beginning.

但，在我們談這些之前，

我們先從頭說起。

Soils are considered to be the skin of the Earth.

土壤被認為是

地球的皮膚。

They're only a few meters thick,

土壤的厚度只有幾公尺，

but they support all agriculture and every single terrestrial biome.

卻支持著所有的農業 以及陸地生物群落。

Soils help protect our food supply,

土壤協助保護我們的食物供給、

clean our water, boost our immune systems,

淨化我們的水、

提升我們的免疫系統，

and they serve as a source for some critical medicines,

也是一些重要藥物的來源，

including many that have yet to be discovered.

包括許多待發掘的藥物。

Without Earth's exceedingly thin layer of soil

若沒有地球的超薄土壤層，

and its multitude of organisms,

以及該層中的大量有機體，

we would not eat,

我們就沒辦法吃，

and humanity as we know it may not exist.

我們所知的人類可能也不會存在。

And soils, like many good things, they take time to develop.

土壤和許多好東西一樣，

需要時間發展。

They form over hundreds to thousands of years

土壤的形成要花數百至數千年，

as rocks break down

需要經過岩石崩解，

and plants and animals decompose.

以及植物和動物腐化分解。

As soils form, they accumulate and store carbon.

土壤形成時，會累積和儲存碳。

In fact, there are billions of tons of carbon stored underground.

事實上，

有數十億公噸的碳儲存在地底下，

Two to three times more than what we have in the atmosphere.

這驚人的碳量是大氣中的二到三倍。

Plants and soil work in collaboration

植物和土壤攜手合作，

to drive the single most important transformation of carbon on this planet,

推動地球上最重要的碳轉換：

photosynthesis.

光合作用。

Plants take carbon dioxide from the air,

植物從空氣中取得二氧化碳

and they combine it with water and sunshine to create sugars.

將它與水及陽光結合，

以產生糖，

And of course, to grow plants.

當然，也讓植物能成長。

Plants and their sugars eventually decompose in the soil,

植物和它們的糖 最終會在土壤中分解，

feeding the microbes.

成為微生物的食物。

In fact, most of the carbon that comes in through plants

事實上，大部分 進入到植物當中的碳，

ends up in soil at some point.

最終都會在某個時點進入土壤中。

The carbon cycle continues.

隨著碳循環持續下去，

Microbes and their carbon eventually break down,

微生物和它們的碳最終會分解，

and the carbon from the microbes sticks to soil particles,

來自微生物的碳會黏在土壤顆粒上，

creating what we call soil clumps or aggregates.

形成我們所謂的土塊或土團，

Because microbial carbon is sticky.

因為微生物碳很黏。

So when that microbial carbon ends up in a clump,

所以，當微生物碳 最後成為土塊的一部分時，

it's physically protected from further decomposition.

實體上會受到保護， 不會再進一步分解。

And what we know now

我們現在知道，

is that the majority of soil carbon that is sequestered

大部分這種被隔絕的土壤碳

is actually dead microbes

其實是死掉的微生物，

or what we call microbial necromass.

或我們所謂的微生物殘體。

That necromass can stick around in soils for decades to millennia,

殘體能留在土壤中數十年到數百年，

especially if we leave soils undisturbed.

特別是在不受人類侵擾的土壤中。

But over the last 12,000 years,

但，在過去一萬兩千年間，

we have lost billions of tons of carbon from our soil

我們已經失去了數十億公噸 儲存在土壤中的碳，

as humans converted grasslands and forests

因為人類將草地和森林變成了

into agricultural fields and range lands,

農地和牧地，建造道路和城市。

building roads and cities.

One of the major drivers of that loss was the plow,

造成碳流失的主要原因之一是犁車，

which, at the time, was a major technological breakthrough

在當時，犁車是重大的技術突破，

that really revolutionized agriculture

為農業帶來了革命，

and altered the trajectory of human history.

改變了人類歷史的軌道。

With each pass of the plow,

犁車每經過一次，

those plant roots and soil aggregates that we know are really important

我們已知十分重要的植物根 以及土團會被破壞，

are broken apart, exposing carbon to decomposition.

讓碳暴露出來而分解。

Today we use more than a third of our land

現今，我們的土地 有三分之一以上被用來

to feed and clothe billions of people on this planet.

提供食物及衣物給 數十億在地球上的人。

But we're losing our soils at an alarming rate,

但我們失去土壤的速度很讓人擔憂，

and with it, we're losing their fertility.

同時，我們也在失去土壤的肥力。

Without that soil,

沒有那些土壤，將來會很難

it's going to be a lot harder to feed

what is going to be close to 10 billion people

提供食物給在 2050 年 即將接近一百億的人口。

on this planet by 2050.

That's going to put a lot more pressure

這樣會帶更多的壓力給 這種本來就已經在逐漸消失

on what is already a disappearing

and resoundingly underappreciated resource.

且非常不被珍惜感念的資源。

There is no machine that can bring soil back.

沒有任何機器能夠把土壤恢復回來。

No technology that can do what thousands of years of rock weathering

沒有任何技術能做出 靠數千年的岩石風化

and biological activity have achieved.

以及生物活動所辦到的成果。

But we can build our soils and put more carbon underground

但是，

我們可以建造土壤， 並將更多碳置入地下，

with a little help from plants and microbes.

有植物和微生物的協助就可以做到。

Rebuilding soil is going to require us to fundamentally rethink our reliance

要重建土壤，就需要 我們從根本上重新思考

我們為什麼要仰賴科技及化學物質

on technology and chemicals

to deliver what soils can do on their own:

來做到土壤自己本身就能做的事：

support life.

維持生命。

And life in soil is mostly microbial.

土壤中的生命大部分是微生物。

The Dutch scientist, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek,

荷蘭科學家安東尼‧范‧雷文霍克

saw tiny organisms he called the "wee beasties,"

在大約三百五十年前， 用他的顯微鏡看到了

under his microscope about 350 years ago.

微小的有機體， 他稱之為「小野獸」。

And with the rapid innovation of molecular and computational tools,

隨著分子和計算工具的快速創新，

we are finally getting a sneak peek at who they are

我們終於能夠先賭為快， 看看小野獸是什麼，

and how they make their way in the world.

以及它們在世界上的生活方式。

Here's the thing.

重點來了。

A teaspoon of soil holds billions of organisms,

一茶匙的土壤就含有 數十億個有機體，

things like bacteria, fungi, protists and archaea.

比如細菌、真菌、 原生生物，以及古菌。

These microbes are the movers and shakers

這些微生物是碳循環的 搬運工和混合工。

of nature's carbon cycle.

They drive really important processes in soil,

它們促成土壤中的重要程序，

they take organic matter

把有機物質轉換為複雜的碳分子。

and convert it into complex carbon molecules.

And having more carbon in soil is transformative.

土壤中若有更多碳， 會帶來很大的改變。

As carbon accumulates,

隨著碳累積，

agricultural fields can hold on to more water and more nutrients,

農地就會含有更多水份和營養，

building resilience that helps them

讓它們有更好的韌性， 來面對變遷氣候的起起伏伏。

deal with the ups and downs of a changing climate.

That resilience means plants can grow more consistently,

有那樣的韌性就意味著 植物能夠持續生長，

even when the weather is fickle.

儘管天氣無常。

And the awesome thing is carbon-rich soils help buffer us

很棒的是，富含碳的土壤 能協助我們緩衝，

against what is an uncertain climate future.

更能適應未知的氣候未來。

The trick is to really rethink how we do agriculture.

密訣在於要真正重新思考

我們做農業的方式。

So there is the good news,

有個好消息，那就是，我們有一些

which is there are some tried and true ways

that we can get more carbon in our soils and build our soils back.

已嘗試過且適用的方式， 可讓更多碳進入土壤中，

重建土壤。

We can plow less,

我們可以少犁田，

and we can make sure that we have roots in the ground year round,

我們可以確保一年到頭 在地下都有植物根，

feeding the microbes

提供食物給微生物，

and powering that microbial engine humming under our feet.

讓我們腳下的微生物引擎 有動力能夠不斷運作。

And we can do this.

我們可以做這些。

The other thing is,

此外，

這一招的關鍵在於多樣性。

diversity is the key ingredient in this recipe.

Diverse plant communities support diverse microbial communities

多樣的植物群落能夠支持 多樣性的微生物群落，

that can transform and store more carbon.

讓它們轉變，並儲存更多碳。

Diversity is good for soils,

多樣性對土壤有益，

and it's good for climate mitigation.

也對減緩氣候變遷有益。

Just like we need every microbe,

就如同我們需要每一個微生物，

we need every farmer and rancher,

我們也需要每一位農民及牧場主、

every climate solution and every solver.

每一個氣候解決方案，

以及每一位解決者。

So ...

所以……

Healthy, carbon-rich soils matter today more than ever.

現今，健康且富含碳的土壤 重要性遠勝過以往。

The other great thing about carbon-rich soils

健康且富含碳的土壤還有一個優點，

is they help farmers have more consistent agricultural operations

是它們能協助農民，

讓他們的農業活動能夠更有一致性，

and more sustainable ones

也更永續，

that can withstand the ups and downs of a changing climate.

可以承受變遷氣候的起起伏伏。

That's a huge win for the people that grow our food,

對於種植食物的人而言 是一大的勝利，

it’s a win for climate, and it’s a win for us consumers.

對氣候也是勝利，

對我們消費者也是勝利。

So how do we do it?

我們要怎麼做？

Well, there are three simple things we can do.

有三件簡單的事情， 都是我們能做的。

Number one, we have to protect our soils and the carbon they already hold.

第一，

我們必須要保護我們的土壤 以及已經在其中的碳。

Number two, we can get more carbon underground

第二，

我們可以讓地下有更多的碳，

by growing diverse, climate-adapted crops.

做法是種植多樣性、 能適應氣候的作物。

And number three, we can let the microbes do their thing.

第三，

我們可以讓微生物盡它們的本份。

Leave them alone by leaving the soil undisturbed.

別煩它們，別去侵擾土壤。

It sounds simple, and that's because it kind of is.

聽起來很簡單，

那是因為的確可說是簡單。

But there are some questions that are left to be answered,

但，

還有一些問題有待回答，

and there's a lot of room for us to innovate.

也還有很多我們可以創新的空間。

We need to track and measure our climate progress.

我們得要追蹤和測量 我們的氣候進展，

We need to develop more climate-resilient crop varieties

我們需要開發更多

具有氣候韌性的作物多樣性， 要能長出更深的根，

that can grow deeper roots

and pump carbon underground deeper.

並將碳打入地下更深的地方。

And we need to rethink our economic models and agriculture

我們得要重新思考 我們的經濟模型及農業，

並協助支持和獎勵這些

and help support and incentivize

these carbon-sequestering agricultural practices.

將碳隔絕的農業做法。

So lots of room for innovation, lots of room for research.

所以，很多創新的空間，

很多研究的空間，

Good news for us scientists.

這對科學家是好消息。

But we don't have time to waste.

但我們沒有時間可以浪費了。

Climate change is here and it's affecting all of us, whether we know it or not.

氣候變遷已經發生了，不論 知情與否，所有人都會受影響。

It's affecting every single ecosystem, including agriculture.

它會影響每一個生態系統，

包括農業。

Soils are the literal foundation of life on this planet,

土壤是地球上生命的基礎，

the reason that we can eat

是我們能吃的原因，

and the climate solution just waiting to be unlocked.

也是等待著被解鎖的氣候解決方案。

So let's build back our soils,

所以，咱們重建土壤，

help our planet by looking down to the ground.

用向下看的方式，協助我們的地球。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）