Review highlights soil archive use for research

Authors: Liebig, Mark; Bergh, Emma

Submitted to: CSA News
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2022
Publication Date: 3/1/2022
Citation: Liebig, M.A., Bergh, E.L. 2022. Review highlights soil archive use for research. CSA News. https://doi.org/10.1002/csan.20698.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csan.20698

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Archived soil samples provide a snapshot of soil properties at the time and place they were collected, allowing researchers to revisit past conditions and assess change over time. This information is key to assessing the sustainability of land management practices. Despite the recognized importance of soil archives, their use for research purposes is poorly understood. In the March/April issue of Soil Science Society of America Journal, researchers report findings from a compilation of 245 publications with documented use of soil archives. The team found an accelerating use of soil archives for research since 1980, peaking at 59 publications between 2016 and 2020. Soil archive age across the compilation ranged from 5 to 160 years, with a mean of 48 years. The compilation also highlighted the most common use of soil archives, namely, investigations of soil organic matter change in cropland in developed countries. As such, significant land-use and geographical gaps exist when it comes to understanding long-term soil change worldwide. Major gaps in knowledge happened to be in regions where soil resource use is projected to intensify in the coming decades. Increased coordination among researchers, coupled with enduring investments in the curation and retention of soil archives, are recommended.