Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #166991
Title: MANAGING SOIL QUALITY: CHALLENGES IN MODERN AGRICULTURE

Author
item Sojka, Robert
item SANCHEZ, PEDRO - COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Soil Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2004
Publication Date: 12/1/2004
Citation: Sojka, R.E., Sanchez, P. 2004. Managing soil quality: challenges in modern agriculture. Soil Science. 169(12)884-886.

Interpretive Summary: This review evaluates the contents of the book 'Managing Soil Quality: Challenges in Modern Agriculture' edited by P.Schjønning, S. Elmholt and B.T. Christensen. The book is seen as a positive addition to the soil quality literature, with the major contribution being efforts to set criteria for and establishment of indicator threshold values for specific soil attributes. These threshold values are intended as the quantified soil status measurements which indicate a need for management interventions. The review faults the book for inadequate consideration of multiple attribute interactions (the essence of holistic analysis) and the inability to resolve conflicting or opposing soil functional needs, particularly when these conflicts pit soil productivity against environmental protection. The book is complimented at being more quantitative in its treatment of the soil quality concept than many previous texts, and for at least acknowledging some of the complexities and pitfalls of the concept that will require concerted efforts to overcome.

Technical Abstract: This review evaluates the contents of the book 'Managing Soil Quality: Challenges in Modern Agriculture' edited by P.Schjønning, S. Elmholt and B.T. Christensen. The book is seen as a positive addition to the soil quality literature, with the major contribution being efforts to set criteria for and establishment of indicator threshold values for specific soil attributes. These threshold values are intended as the quantified soil status measurements which indicate a need for management interventions. The review faults the book for inadequate consideration of multiple attribute interactions (the essence of holistic analysis) and the inability to resolve conflicting or opposing soil functional needs, particularly when these conflicts pit soil productivity against environmental protection. The book is complimented at being more quantitative in its treatment of the soil quality concept than many previous texts, and for at least acknowledging some of the complexities and pitfalls of the concept that will require concerted efforts to overcome.