How do soils affect to climate change mitigation and adaptation?

The soil organic carbon content (humus) represents a dynamic flow equilibrium in the soil. In the long term, balance is established between the supply of organic material and microbial decomposition. Natural site characteristics and management influence this flow equilibrium. Shifting the equilibrium to build up humus results in improved soil fertility and water storage, which mitigates the negative consequences of climate change effects such as droughts and heavy rainfall events.