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2. Soil Fundamentals
Managing for soil health brings together knowledge of the soils’ interrelated physical, chemical,
and biological characteristics with planning and practices designed to restore and contribute to the
long-term functioning of robust soil ecosystems. The healthy soil principles that guide this effort
address the following soil functions, among others.
Soil Health
Remember that inherent properties will
affect the functions observed and observable
in your soils. For example, climate and soil
texture are not something that you’ll be
able to change and can affect many of
those functions.
It is important to keep in mind that soil
physical, chemical, and biological
characteristics in different locations are
distinctive and thus good management goals
and management plans are specific to unique
locations. For this reason, use of the healthy
soil principles to guide the development of
soil and management goals for a particular
ranch, farm, orchard, garden, or park will be
highly specific, as well. For example, in
New Mexico’s native desert grasslands,
soils are not completely covered with
plants, and this is beneficial to some wildlife
species that may be present on a given
property. Some insect species depend on
exposed soils to get nutrients and have
evolved to be camouflaged on the bare
soil surface. And, biological soil crusts are
not plants, but they can protect soils from
erosion. Variations like these make it clear
that the healthy soil principles must always
be followed with great sensitivity to local
characteristics and conditions.
Physical
•
Physical support for plants
•
Aeration
•
Soil water storage and movement
•
Resistance to soil erosion
Chemical
•
Nutrient storage and release
•
Carbon storage
•
Salinity levels
Biological
•
Root proliferation
•
Organism movement and connectivity
•
Pest suppression
•
Nitrogen mineralization
•
Organic matter decomposition