1. Losing the soils that feed us
Michael Gross 
Current Biology 
Volume 27, Issue 5, Pages R163-R166 (March 2017)
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2. Dirty work: We often dismiss soil as the dirt below our feet, yet it is a vital resource for food production as well as a highly complex and insufficiently understood ecosystem. The image shows farmers in Kyuso, Kenya terracing part of their land in order to minimise erosion losses. (Photo: ©FAO/Thomas Hug.)
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3. Ploughing on: Bare soils and frequent ploughing speed up erosion and thus contribute to the loss of soil that is occurring 60 times more rapidly than before the intensification of agriculture. (Photo: Scott Bauer, U.S. Department of Agriculture.)
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4. Hidden helpers: The complex ecological networks of organisms in the rhizosphere of plants remains insufficiently understood. However, these interactions are crucial for the health and yield of plants. (Photo: Cross-section of mycorrhizal fungi © David Genney.)
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5. Growth factors: Experiments combining plants with different soil biota have helped to elucidate the role of feedback interactions between plants and soil organisms. (Photo: François P. Teste
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