SOIL HEALTH
SOIL HEALTH
Soil health is a state
of a soil meeting its range of ecosystem functions as appropriate to its
environment. In more colloquial terms, the health of soil arises from favorable
interactions of all soil components that belong together, as in microbiota, plants
and animals
“To forget how to dig the earth and to
tend the soil is to forget ourselves.”
Soil health, also
referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to
function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.
This definition speaks to the importance of managing soils so they are
sustainable for future generations.
IMPORTANT CHARACTER OF HEALTHY
SOIL
Healthy organic soil
is full of organisms that turn dead matter and minerals into vital plant
nutrients. A shocking use for healthy organic soil is to use it to protect
against drought. Healthy, Natural & organic soils can absorb and store
water, which acts as a mock reservoir during dry stints.
Management Principles to
Improve Soil Health
1. Reduce Inversion
Tillage and Soil Traffic. Excessive tillage is harmful to soil health in a
number of ways. ...
2. Manage Nutrients.
3. Increase Organic
Matter Inputs. ...
4. Use Cover Crops.
...
5. Rotate Crops. ...
6. Reduce Pesticide
Use and Provide Habitat for Beneficial Organisms. ...
What is the difference
between soil health and soil quality?
Soil health describes
the biological integrity of the soil community-the balance among organisms
within a soil and between soil organisms and their environment." Soil
quality is a term that we use when we talk about the physical attributes of
soil.
What affects soil
health?
Many soil health
problems occur as a result of natural processes, however agricultural practices
can influence soil health. ... Severe soil acidity (pH less than 4.5) has
affected soils. Lack of surface vegetation had led to moderate to severe gully
erosion. Dryland salinity affects agricultural soils.
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