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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #371601
Research Project: Sustainable Intensification of Cropping Systems on Spatially Variable Landscapes and Soils

Location: Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research

Title: The future of soil health assessments: tools and strategies

Author
item Veum, Kristen
item NUNES, MARCIO - Orise Fellow
item Sudduth, Kenneth - Ken

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/23/2020
Publication Date: 8/15/2021
Citation: Veum, K.S., Nunes, M., Sudduth, K.A. 2021. The future of soil health assessments: tools and strategies. In: Karlen, D.L., Stott, D.E., Mikha, M.M., editors. Soil Health Series: Volume 1 Approaches to Soil Health Analysis. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. p. 169-198. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780891189817.ch8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780891189817.ch8

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: oil health represents the nexus of multiple ecosystem services provided by soil and encompasses important soil functions, including environmental protection and crop productivity. Soil health research may focus on fundamental ecological principles that elucidate the mechanisms underlying soil processes, whereas applied soil health research is designed to address the needs of “on-farm” soil health assessment and interpretation for management decisions. Although both areas of research conceptually overlap, they reflect research needs that are often divergent with respect to goals and objectives, and thus may require different tools and strategies. This chapter explores novel tools and strategies that are advancing the science of soil health assessment and identify key areas for future research, with an emphasis on producer assessments and agroecosystem management.