Evaluating Soil Health
Soil health is defined as the continued capacity of the soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. Typically, soil health includes three types of soil characteristics: biological, physical, and chemical. Although sometimes used interchangeably, soil quality generally refers to soil chemical and physical properties. The main difference between soil quality and soil health is that the term soil health takes into account that soil is dynamic, like any other ecosystem. The organisms within the soil are just as important as what crops are growing above the soil. Soil organisms have the ability to improve soil structure, fight off plant disease, and make nutrients available to crops.
Evaluating Soil Health
Improving Soil Health
Many soil conservation practices improve soil health. Examples include no-tillage systems, incorporating cover crops, and manure usage. No-till systems improve soil structure, increase infiltration, and increase organic matter while cover crops and manure do the same plus increase soil microbe biodiversity and quantity.
Resources for soil health are provided here:
Soil Health Initiatives from the North Central Region Water Network