Abstract
This chapter presents a conceptual framework within which to locate diverse field and laboratory approaches and provides a basis for their practical application to site specific assessment and management of land for integrated land use and environmental protection. It reviews the functional role of soil in terrestrial ecosystems. The chapter also reviews the need to qualify site specific soil quality and soil health indicator properties as a function of land use, landscape and climate characteristics. A plan for assessing soil quality and health and determining whether or not soil quality and health is responding to management strategy involves five basic steps. These are: identification of socio-economic constraints and goals for soil quality and health management; determination of soil quality and health indicators and site and climatic characteristics; assessment of soil quality and health using models; temporal or spatial comparisons of model output; and modification of management strategies.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Methods for Assessing Soil Quality |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Pages | 61-82 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780891189442 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780891188261 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 26 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 1996 by the Soil Science Society of America, Inc.
Keywords
- Conceptual framework
- Ecosystem
- Environmental protection
- Management strategy
- Soil health assessment
- Soil health indicator data
- Soil health management
- Soil quality assessment
- Soil quality indicator data
- Soil quality management
