Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #386118
Research Project: Sustainable Intensification of Cropping Systems on Spatially Variable Landscapes and Soils

Location: Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research

Title: Developments in soil health assessment and interpretation

Author
item Veum, Kristen

Submitted to: University of Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Publication
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/7/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: It is widely recognized that a robust, continental-scale soil health assessment tool is needed to promote adoption of soil health practices for improved environmental outcomes and more sustainable agroecosystems. Therefore, a team of scientists is developing a new soil health interpretation tool called the Soil Health Assessment Protocol and Evaluation (SHAPE). This tool is a flexible, robust, and user-friendly framework grounded in the principles of soil science. Thus far, scoring curves for soil organic carbon, active carbon, soil respiration, and total protein have been developed. This approach is the first step in providing scientifically-motivated guidance to producers on how land management affects soil health.