What is Soil Health?
Soil health is defined by the USDA as "the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans"
There are many parameters that can be measured to assess soil health/quality.
Five Priorities of Soil Management
- Eliminate erosion
- Match land use to landscape
- Build soil organic matter
- Enhance soil biology
- Think systems not shortcuts
Four Core Soil Health Principles
- Keep soil covered
- Minimize soil disturbance
- Maximize living roots
- Energize with diversit
What is it?
Amount of crop grown during normal growing season
What is it?
Mass of soil particles within a given volume.
How is it measured?
A metal ring is inserted in the soil, removing a known volume. The soil is then dried. The weight of the dry soil is divided by the volume of the sample.
What is it?
Organic matter associated carbon in soil.
How is it measured?
Requires specialized lab equipment
What is it?
Amount of nitrogen in the soil, including inorganic and organic forms
How is it measured?
Requires specialized lab equipment
What is it?
Ability of soil aggregates to hold together during disturbances such as rain.
What is it?
Rate at which water can enter into the soil under all conditions.
What is it?
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity is the infiltration rate only when the soil has reached 100% saturation.
What is it?
Movement and/or loss of soil due to wind or rain.
What is it?
Water that ponds up on the soil surface and moves as overland flow.
What is it?
Water that drains below the root zone. which can result in the loss of fertilizers and herbicides/pesticides from soil.
What is it?
Biomass associated with weeds during the following cash crop growing season.
What is it?
Carbon associated with soil microbes. Increased amounts of microbial soil carbon is associated with beneficial biological functions and more plant available carbon
What is it?
Nitrogen associated with soil microbes. Increased amount of microbial soil nitrogen is associated with beneficial biological functions and more plant available nitrogen