Description
Book SynopsisThis collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on soil health indicators.The first chapter describes indicators and frameworks for soil health currently in use. It evaluates the principles underpinning current approaches to monitoring soil quality/health and shows these principles have been applied in the development of a practical soil health toolkit for use by UK farmers.
The second chapter reviews the range of physical, chemical and biological indicators of soil health and how they can be used in practice. It focusses on measuring soil health in organic vegetable cultivation and, in particular, ways of measuring the effects of adding organic amendments to improve soil health.
The third chapter discusses key issues in soil organic carbon (SOM) modelling and the development of increasingly sophisticated, dynamic SOM models. It looks at the role of SOM models in improving soil health monitoring and developing decision support tools for farmers
The final chapter reviews current challenges in collecting more systematic and reliable data on earthworm communities, including issues in identifying different earthworm groups. It includes a case study on developing a robust method for accurate measurement of earthworm communities in soil in assessing and improving soil health.
Table of ContentsChapter 1 - Developing soil health indicators for improved soil management on farm:
Elizabeth Stockdale, NIAB, UK; Paul Hargreaves, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), UK; and Anne Bhogal, ADAS Gleadthorpe, UK; 1 Introduction2 Frameworks from policy and practice where soils are considered3 Approaches to monitoring soil quality/health in agricultural systems4 Case study: developing a practical and relevant soil health toolkit for UK agricultural soils5 Conclusion and future trends6 Where to look for further information7 Acknowledgement8 References
Chapter 2 - Biological indicators of soil health in organic cultivation:
A. Fortuna, Washington State University, USA; A. Bhowmik, Pennsylvania State University, USA; and A. Bary and C. Cogger, Washington State University, USA; 1 Introduction2 Metrics of soil health3 Using biological indicators4 Conclusions and future trends5 Acknowledgements6 Where to look for further information7 References
Chapter 3 - Modelling soil organic matter dynamics as a soil health indicator:
Eleanor E. Campbell, University of New Hampshire, USA; and John L. Field and Keith Paustian, Colorado State University, USA; 1 Introduction2 SOM modelling basics3 Current issues and developments in SOM modelling4 Future trends in soil health monitoring and decision support services5 Conclusion and future trends6 Where to look for further information7 References
Chapter 4 - Quantifying earthworm community structures as indicators of soil health:
Jacqueline L. Stroud, formerly Rothamsted Research, UK; 1 Introduction2 Earthworms, soil health and management3 Challenges in collecting data on earthworms4 Developing improved assessment of earthworms5 Results and discussion6 Conclusion7 Where to look for further information8 References
