Deficiencies in the soil quality concept and its application

Deficiencias en el concepto de calidad de suelo y su aplicación

Letey, J. and Sojka, R.E. and Upchurch, D.R. and Cassel, D.K. and Olson, K.R. and Payne, W.A. and Petrie, S.E. and Price, G.H. and Reginato, R.J. and Scott, H.D. and Smethurst, P.J. and Triplett, G.B. (2003) Deficiencies in the soil quality concept and its application. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 58(4):180-187.

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Abstract

Soil quality is a concept that has deeply divided the soil science community. It has
been institutionalized and advocated without full consideration of concept weaknesses and
contradictions. Our paper highlights its disfunctional definition, flawed approach to
quantification, and failure to integrate simultaneous functions, which often require contradictory
soil properties and/or management. While the concept arose from a call to protect the
environment and sustain the soil resource, soil quality indexing as implemented may actually
impair some soil functions, environmental quality, or other societal priorities. We offer the
alternative view that emphasis on known principles of soil management is a better expenditure of
limited resources for soil stewardship than developing and deploying subjective indices which fail
to integrate across the necessary spectrum of management outcomes. If the soil quality concept
is retained, we suggest precisely specifying soil use, not function or capacity, as the criteria for
attribute evaluation. Emphasis should be directed toward using available technical information to
motivate and educate farmers on management practices that optimize the combined goals of high
crop production, low environmental degradation, and a sustained resource.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	1111
Subjects:	Soil > Soil quality Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:50
Last Modified:	08 Nov 2016 15:45
Item ID:	168
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/168