Soil Indicators and Management Strategies for Environmental Sustainability

Increased interest in soil health and sustainability in recent years emphasized the need to identify indicators and adopt improved management strategies in agroecosystems. This chapter discusses selected biogeochemical indicators of soil health, their linkages with soil ecosystem functions, and management strategies to increase crop yields and enhance environmental sustainability. Soil organic matter (SOM) components, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and microbial community structures and functions provide critical information on soil health and sustainability. Management approaches that minimize soil disturbance, maximize soil cover, and increase plant and animal diversity can increase SOM storage, mitigate GHG emissions, and support soil microbial community proliferation. Crop rotation, cover cropping, and livestock integration in cropping systems should be promoted to improve soil health and agro-environmental sustainability.