Soil Health Assessment (ePub)

Soil Health Assessments: Technology, Theory and Practice provides up-to-date coverage on the state- of-the-art in soil health assessment, outlining both the technology used in the field and the most effective methods for sample analysis and soil health quantification. Beginning with a review of the links between soil characteristics and soil health, the book outlines laboratory techniques for assessing soil chemistry, organic matter content assessment, soil structural assessment and soil biology indicators. Smartphone technology for soil health indicators, decision support methodologies for land management, and spatial datasets relevant for soil health are also discussed. Drawing on the experience of its expert editors and authors, this book presents a practical guide for soil scientists, environmental scientists, ecologists and all those who would benefit from rapid, innovative soil-assessment technologies and methods in their own work.Reflects on the latest developments in rapid soil biology indicators, offering an improved understanding of how such indicators can quickly and effectively be assessedHighlights mobile phone apps and how they can be used for fast, free in-field soil assessmentDescribes how existing spatial datasets relating to soil characteristics at a national, continental and global scale can provide information about soil health