Report
A practical guide to soil health indicators for monitoring shifts in soil organic matter
Washington State University Extension fact sheet, 379E, Washington State University Extension
01/2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000004652
Abstract
Improving and maintaining soil health can have a wide range of economic benefits including reduced input costs and improved crop growth, quality, and yield. Soil organic matter (SOM) is a commonly used metric for assessing soil health but can be slow to respond to management changes, taking years or even a decade for measurable changes to occur. Soil health indicators that can detect shifts in microbial activity, carbon (C) cycling, and nutrient cycling are more responsive than SOM and can help producers see if they are moving in the right direction. This publication provides an overview of soil health indicators that are related to shifts in SOM but can respond more rapidly to management changes. This practical guide will help producers navigate the names of tests, their availability in the Pacific Northwest, and the relevance of each test to production systems.
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Details
- Title
- A practical guide to soil health indicators for monitoring shifts in soil organic matter
- Creators
- Rachel BreslauerKatherine Lynn SmithDeirdre Griffin LaHue
- Academic Unit
- Publications, WSU Extension
- Series
- Washington State University Extension fact sheet; 379E
- Publisher
- Washington State University Extension; Pullman, Washington
- Format
- pdf
- Identifiers
- 99900924241301842
- Copyright
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Report