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{{Short description|Capacity of soil to perform ecosystem services}}(File:Soil fertility analysis 6 Samples for Zn Mn & Cu by AAS.jpg|thumb|Testing soil fertility)Soil quality refers to the condition of soil based on its capacity to perform ecosystem services that meet the needs of human and non-human life.JOURNAL, Johnson, D. L., Ambrose, S. H., Bassett, T. J., Bowen, M. L., Crummey, D. E., Isaacson, J. S., Johnson, D. N., Lamb, P., Saul, M., Winter-Nelson, A. E., 1997, Meanings of Environmental Terms, Journal of Environmental Quality, 26, 3, 581, 10.2134/jeq1997.00472425002600030002x, JOURNAL, Karlen, D. L., Mausbach, M. J., Doran, J. W., Cline, R. G., Harris, R. F., Schuman, G. E., 1997, Soil Quality: A Concept, Definition, and Framework for Evaluation (A Guest Editorial),weblink Soil Science Society of America Journal, 61, 1, 4–10, 1997SSASJ..61....4K, 10.2136/sssaj1997.03615995006100010001x, 21 June 2017, WEB, USDA NRCS, Soil Quality: Basics: Definitions,weblink 21 June 2017, soilquality.org, Tóth, G., Stolbovoy, V. and Montanarella, 2007. "Soil Quality and Sustainability Evaluation - An integrated approach to support soil-related policies of the European Union {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202634weblink|date=2013-10-29}}", EUR 22721 EN. 40 pp. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg. {{ISBN|978-92-79-05250-7}}.Soil quality reflects how well a soil performs the functions of maintaining biodiversity and productivity, partitioning water and solute flow, filtering and buffering, nutrient cycling, and providing support for plants and other structures. Soil management has a major impact on soil quality.Soil quality relates to soil functions. Unlike water or air, for which established standards have been set, soil quality is difficult to define or quantify.

Indicators of soil quality

Soil quality can be evaluated using the Soil Management Assessment Framework.JOURNAL, Cherubin, Maurício Roberto, Tormena, Cássio Antônio, Karlen, Douglas L., Cherubin, Maurício Roberto, Tormena, Cássio Antônio, Karlen, Douglas L., 2017, Soil Quality Evaluation Using the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) in Brazilian Oxisols with Contrasting Texture, Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo, 41, 10.1590/18069657rbcs20160148, 0100-0683, free, Soil quality in agricultural terms is measured on a scale of soil value (Bodenwertzahl) in Germany.JOURNAL, Hoffmann, Carsten, Schulz, Sina, Eberhardt, Einar, Grosse, Meike, Stein, Susanne, Specka, Xenia, Svoboda, Nikolai, Heinrich, Uwe, Data Standards for Soil- and Agricultural Research, 2019,weblink 10.20387/BONARES-ARM4-66M2, Soil quality is primarily measured by chemical, physical, and biological indicators because soil function cannot easily be measured directly.BOOK, Doran, John W., Methods for Assessing Soil Quality, Soil Science Society of America, 1997, 9780891188261, 49, Each of these categories comprises several indicators that provide insight into overall soil quality. There are very few soil quality monitoring systems that can provide near real-time information on these indicators but almost all of these systems are currently reported only to the research level. M. Sophocleous et al., "A Stand-Alone, In Situ, Soil Quality Sensing System for Precision Agriculture," in IEEE Transactions on AgriFood Electronics, doi: 10.1109/TAFE.2024.3351953.

Physical

The physical category of soil quality indicators consists of tests that measure soil texture, bulk density, porosity, water content at saturation, aggregate stability, penetration resistance, and more.JOURNAL, Rodriguez, Leonardo, Suárez, Juan Carlos, Pulleman, Mirjam, Guaca, Lised, Rico, Adrian, Romero, Miguel, Quintero, Marcela, Lavelle, Patrick, 2021, Agroforestry systems in the Colombian Amazon improve the provision of soil ecosystem services,weblink Applied Soil Ecology, en, 164, 103933, 10.1016/j.apsoil.2021.103933, 233583678, These measures provide hydrological information, such the level of water infiltration and water availability to plants.

Chemical

Chemical indicators include pH and nutrient levels.JOURNAL, Bravo‐Medina, C., Goyes‐Vera, F., Arteaga‐Crespo, Y., García‐Quintana, Y., Changoluisa, D., 2021-04-15, A soil quality index for seven productive landscapes in the Andean‐Amazonian foothills of Ecuador,weblink Land Degradation & Development, en, 32, 6, 2226–2241, 10.1002/ldr.3897, 233974087, 1085-3278, A typical soil test only evaluates chemical soil properties.

Biological

Biological measures include diversity of soil organisms and fungi.The movement and biological functions of soil organisms (including earthworms, millipedes, centipedes, ants, and spiders) impact soil processes such as the regulation of soil structure, degradation of contaminants, and nutrient cycling.Ruiz N, Lavelle P, Jiménez J. 2008. Soil macrofauna field manual. Food and Agriculture Organization.weblink

References

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