1 Introduction
Soil is a complex ecosystem and contains diverse microflora that influences its
properties. For agriculture, the soil is the basis and universal medium for food
production. Besides its universal role as a medium, soil serves in facilitating gaseous
exchange, the flow of energy, detoxification of pollutants, and mediating water and
nutrient interchange (Larson and Pierce 1994). Soil quality determines its ability to
maintain productivity, minimize the impact on the environment and human health.
The terms soil quality and soil health are frequently used interchangeably to describe
the capability of the soil to support plant growth (Harris and Bezdicek 1994). Soil
quality has been defined as “constant capability of the soil to do as a vigorous living
system, in the ecosystem, to continue biological productivity, encourage the quality
of water and air, maintain animal, plant and human wellbeing” (Avidano et al. 2005).
From a wider perspective, soil can do and used as its potential (Doran and Safley
1997). As the criteria of MDS (minimum data set), soil to be quality various
physical, chemical, and biological parameters should be fulfilled (Fig. 20.1).
Starting from cultivation, various activities of human beings are related to the
depletion of soil quality in several ways. Extensive chemical inputs as agrochemicals
(synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) have contributed as the major cause of declining
soil health. The soil health parameters (biological, chemical, and physical) are
influenced via agrochemicals. Based on the FAO report, the world population will
be increased multifold soon, and we need more food without adversely affecting our
environment. To ensure additional food supply, farming is the central resort via
using soil as the lone medium. So, the care of soil quality is very important to fulfill
• pH
• Salinity
• Soil organic
matter
• Water
holding
capacity
• Microbial
activity
• Soil
respiration
• Texture
Biological
parameters
Soil Health
Physical
parameters
Chemical
parameters
Fig. 20.1 Parameters of soil health. A complete assessment of soil health is based on three classes
of soil parameters i.e., physical, chemical, and biological. It may be seen that various parameters are
influencing each other and thus soil microbial activity is affected by the physical and chemical
health of the soil. SOM soil organic matter. (Reproduced with permission from Prashar and Shah,
2016, Copyright © 2016, Springer International Publishing Switzerland)
406
S. Abera
Soil is a complex ecosystem and contains diverse microflora that influences its
properties. For agriculture, the soil is the basis and universal medium for food
production. Besides its universal role as a medium, soil serves in facilitating gaseous
exchange, the flow of energy, detoxification of pollutants, and mediating water and
nutrient interchange (Larson and Pierce 1994). Soil quality determines its ability to
maintain productivity, minimize the impact on the environment and human health.
The terms soil quality and soil health are frequently used interchangeably to describe
the capability of the soil to support plant growth (Harris and Bezdicek 1994). Soil
quality has been defined as “constant capability of the soil to do as a vigorous living
system, in the ecosystem, to continue biological productivity, encourage the quality
of water and air, maintain animal, plant and human wellbeing” (Avidano et al. 2005).
From a wider perspective, soil can do and used as its potential (Doran and Safley
1997). As the criteria of MDS (minimum data set), soil to be quality various
physical, chemical, and biological parameters should be fulfilled (Fig. 20.1).
Starting from cultivation, various activities of human beings are related to the
depletion of soil quality in several ways. Extensive chemical inputs as agrochemicals
(synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) have contributed as the major cause of declining
soil health. The soil health parameters (biological, chemical, and physical) are
influenced via agrochemicals. Based on the FAO report, the world population will
be increased multifold soon, and we need more food without adversely affecting our
environment. To ensure additional food supply, farming is the central resort via
using soil as the lone medium. So, the care of soil quality is very important to fulfill
• pH
• Salinity
• Soil organic
matter
• Water
holding
capacity
• Microbial
activity
• Soil
respiration
• Texture
Biological
parameters
Soil Health
Physical
parameters
Chemical
parameters
Fig. 20.1 Parameters of soil health. A complete assessment of soil health is based on three classes
of soil parameters i.e., physical, chemical, and biological. It may be seen that various parameters are
influencing each other and thus soil microbial activity is affected by the physical and chemical
health of the soil. SOM soil organic matter. (Reproduced with permission from Prashar and Shah,
2016, Copyright © 2016, Springer International Publishing Switzerland)
406
S. Abera