Practical guidance for deciding whether to account for soil variability when managing for land health, agricultural production and climate resilience

Authors: Herrick, Jeffrey - Jeff; MAYNARD, JONATHAN - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA); Bestelmeyer, Brandon; CAREY, CHELSEA - Conservation Science Partners; SALLEY, SHAWN - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA); SHEPHERD, KEITH - University Of California, Davis; STEWART, ZACHARY - Us Agency For International Development (USAID); WILLS, SKYE - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA); ZIADAT, FERAS - Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/26/2023
Publication Date: 11/14/2023
Citation: Herrick, J.E., Maynard, J.M., Bestelmeyer, B.T., Carey, C.J., Salley, S.W., Shepherd, K., Stewart, Z.P., Wills, S.A., Ziadat, F.M. 2023. Practical guidance for deciding whether to account for soil variability when managing for land health, agricultural production and climate resilience. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 78(6):125A-133A. https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2023.0706A.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2023.0706A

Interpretive Summary: Soils vary. Sometimes soil variability affects how land will respond to management. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it does, but not enough to be worth the additional effort that soil-specific management requires. In other cases soil variability occurs at a scale that is simply too fine to be considered. This paper provides a simple framework for deciding when soil variability should be considered, and when additional soil information may be required. The “prepare” part of the framework includes five steps: defining the management or restoration area, defining the objective or objectives, identifying key soil and topographic properties and defining functionally significant variability based on the objectives and costs of modifying management across the area, acquiring soil maps and other soil information, and accessing relevant local and scientific knowledge. The second, “decide” part of the framework includes seven questions, which are designed to determine whether or not management should be modified based on variability of key soil properties and, if so, whether it is worth collecting additional soil information. The decision framework is presented in a figure and illustrated by a practical irrigation scheduling example.

Technical Abstract: This paper provides practical guidance for determining when it is—and is not—worth considering soil variability when making land management decisions and implementing land restoration initiatives. It presents a two-part framework that can be used by farmers, ranchers, land use planners, and other natural resource decision-makers to determine whether or not it is worth modifying management in different parts of a field, pasture, watershed, or region based on differences in soil properties and processes. The “prepare” part of the framework includes five steps: (A) defining the management or restoration area, (B) defining the objective or objectives, (C) identifying key soil and topographic properties and defining functionally significant variability based on the objectives and costs of modifying management across the area, (D) acquiring soil maps and other soil information, and (E) accessing relevant local and scientific knowledge. The second part of the framework, “decide,” includes seven questions, which are designed to determine whether or not management should be modified based on variability of key soil properties, and, if so, whether it is worth collecting additional soil information. The decision framework is presented in a figure and illustrated by a practical irrigation scheduling example