In the heart of Ukraine, a silent battle is being waged against an invisible enemy: land degradation. As the country’s agricultural sector pushes for increased crop yields, the very foundation of its success—its soil—is under threat from erosion and humus loss. Enter O. I. Menshov, a researcher from Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University Institute of Geology, who is wielding an unconventional weapon in this fight: magnetism.
Menshov and his team are exploring the use of magnetic methods to map and model soil types and conditions, with the aim of predicting and controlling hazardous processes. Their work, published in the *Geophysical Journal* (translating to *Геофизический журнал* in English), offers a promising new approach to sustainable land management.
The team’s initial investigations in the Kharkiv region revealed that the magnetic susceptibility of the chernozem soils—essentially a measure of how magnetic the soil is—showed low variability. “This indicates the absence of soil type change and technogenic impact,” Menshov explains. In simpler terms, the soil is stable and relatively untouched by human activity, making it less prone to degradation.
However, the story is different in the Odessa region. Here, the team identified areas at high risk of soil erosion by studying the magnetic susceptibility of the soil. They found that undisturbed, highly magnetic southern chernozems had a susceptibility of 160×10–8 m3/kg, while eroded soil had a significantly lower value of around 80×10–8 m3/kg. This disparity, Menshov notes, is closely linked to the humus content in the soil. “The formation of magnetic minerals is controlled by the presence of organic matter in soil aggregates and favorable conditions for the iron valence change,” he says.
So, why should the energy sector care about this research? For one, understanding and controlling land degradation is crucial for maintaining the productivity of farmlands, which in turn supports the bioenergy sector. Moreover, the magnetic methods proposed by Menshov and his team could potentially be used to monitor and manage land used for energy crop cultivation, ensuring sustainable practices and long-term productivity.
The research also opens up avenues for further exploration. As Menshov points out, the formation of magnetite in productive Ukrainian topsoil is related to the activity of magnetotactic bacteria. This finding could pave the way for innovative biological solutions to soil management and degradation control.
In the face of climate change and increasing food and energy demands, Menshov’s work offers a glimmer of hope. By harnessing the power of magnetism, we may be able to protect and preserve our most precious resource: the soil beneath our feet. As the world grapples with the challenges of sustainable development, this research serves as a reminder that sometimes, the solutions we seek have been hiding in plain sight—waiting to be discovered and harnessed.