Soil Health

Introduction

Soil Quality vs. Soil Health

The physical, chemical, and biological interactions driven by soil microorganisms in a healthy soil support a complex food web, including human beings.

Much like the success of the human body is measured by its health, soil health is a measure of a complex set of biological, chemical and physical interactions which are driven by microbial processes. The soil supports and sustains most life forms on earth, but it is the work of microorganisms that give soil its unique life giving properties.

Definitions and Indicators

Soil health indicators can be divided into three categories: Physical, Biological, and Chemical.

NRCS

An example distribution of extracellular polysaccharides, humus, fungal hyphae, and bacterial cells in a soil aggregate.

The effect of soil pH on the composition of fungal and bacterial communities. Each band color represents a different taxonomic class.

Beyond Existing Indicators: Incorporating Soil Biology

Measuring microbial biomass a biologically-focused indicator of soil health integrates physical, chemical, and biological indicators.