Biological Indicators of Soil Health

Maintaining soil health is fundamental to successful crop production and ecosystem sustainability. To enable effective management soil health must first be measured and then monitored and so the authors review and evaluate how soil organisms can be used to fulfil this role. This book is essential for all soil scientists and consultants. It is of particular relevance to those involved in soil health monitoring and maintenance as well as those undertaking soil remediation. It is also important reading for agronomists, ecologists and environmentalists. This book is a comprehensive and effective resource for all those working to sustain healthy soils.

"Human activities have had a tremendous impact on this Earth, and our soils have paid a disproportionate share of the environmental cost imposed by the needs of our increasing human population. This multiauthored book makes a strong case for identifying biological indicators of soil health that can be used to understand the impacts we are having, and thereby lead to better management of one of the Earth's greatest resources. . . . The researchers who have contributed to this volume include names familiar to scientists outside the discipline of soil science, and each has written clearly in their area of expertise. Thus, although this is a research volume, the audience for this synthesis should include students and researchers in soil science, agronomy, plant physiology, and environmental biology, as well as those who have forgotten the important role of soils in world ecosystems."--The Quarterly Review of Biology "Many ecosystem services required for the production of agricultural, economic, and environmental commodities are being heavily disrupted. When you add the increased pressure for greater agricultural and sivicultural production, the stress imposed on the resilience of ecosystems is unprecedented. In addition, we don't even know how many of the mechanisms that lend these services operate and which species are most responsible. Within this framework, I can see the appeal that a term like soil 'health' would have to individuals that must provide answers and solutions to many of these problems. ... The book has significant and interesting amounts of information that are worth the price of the book. This volume will appeal to many workers in ecology, agriculture, and management settings. Graduate students and researchers in areas such as microbial ecology and soil sciences should get plenty of discussions going in seminars and journal club meetings with this work."--Environmental Entomology "Human activities have had a tremendous impact on this Earth, and our soils have paid a disproportionate share of the environmental cost imposed by the needs of our increasing human population. This multiauthored book makes a strong case for identifying biological indicators of soil health that can be used to understand the impacts we are having, and thereby lead to better management of one of the Earth's greatest resources. . . . The researchers who have contributed to this volume include names familiar to scientists outside the discipline of soil science, and each has written clearly in their area of expertise. Thus, although this is a research volume, the audience for this synthesis should include students and researchers in soil science, agronomy, plant physiology, and environmental biology, as well as those who have forgotten the important role of soils in world ecosystems."--The Quarterly Review of Biology "Many ecosystem services required for the production of agricultural, economic, and environmental commodities are being heavily disrupted. When you add the increased pressure for greater agricultural and sivicultural production, the stress imposed on the resilience of ecosystems is unprecedented. In addition, we don't even know how many of the mechanisms that lend these services operate and which species are most responsible. Within this framework, I can see the appeal that a term like soil 'health' would have to individuals that must provide answers and solutions to many of these problems. ... The book has significant and interesting amounts of information that are worth the price of the book. This volume will appeal to many workers in ecology, agriculture, andmanagement settings. Graduate students and researchers in areas such as microbial ecology and soil sciences should get plenty of discussions going in seminars and journal club meetings with this work."--Environmental Entomology "Human activities have had a tremendous impact on this Earth, and our soils have paid a disproportionate share of the environmental cost imposed by the needs of our increasing human population. This multiauthored book makes a strong case for identifying biological indicators of soil health that can be used to understand the impacts we are having, and thereby lead to better management of one of the Earth's greatest resources. . . . The researchers who have contributed to this volume include names familiar to scientists outside the discipline of soil science, and each has written clearly in their area of expertise. Thus, although this is a research volume, the audience for this synthesis should include students and researchers in soil science, agronomy, plant physiology, and environmental biology, as well as those who have forgotten the important role of soils in world ecosystems."--The Quarterly Review of Biology "Many ecosystem services required for the production of agricultural, economic, and environmental commodities are being heavily disrupted. When you add the increased pressure for greater agricultural and sivicultural production, the stress imposed on the resilience of ecosystems is unprecedented. In addition, we don't even know how many of the mechanisms that lend these services operate and which species are most responsible. Within this framework, I can see the appeal that a term like soil 'health' would have to individuals that must provide answers and solutions to many of these problems. ... The book has significant and interesting amounts of information that are worth the price of the book. This volume willappeal to many workers in ecology, agriculture, and management settings. Graduate students and researchers in areas such as microbial ecology and soil sciences should get plenty of discussions going in seminars and journal club meetings with this work."--Environmental Entomology "Human activities have had a tremendous impact on this Earth, and our soils have paid a disproportionate share of the environmental cost imposed by the needs of our increasing human population. This multiauthored book makes a strong case for identifying biological indicators of soil health that can be used to understand the impacts we are having, and thereby lead to better management of one of the Earth's greatest resources. . . . The researchers who have contributed to this volume include names familiar to scientists outside the discipline of soil science, and each has written clearly in their area of expertise. Thus, although this is a research volume, the audience for this synthesis should include students and researchers in soil science, agronomy, plant physiology, and environmental biology, as well as those who have forgotten the important role of soils in world ecosystems."--The Quarterly Review of Biology "Many ecosystem services required for the production of agricultural, economic, and environmental commodities are being heavily disrupted. When you add the increased pressure for greater agricultural and sivicultural production, the stress imposed on the resilience of ecosystems is unprecedented. In addition, we don't even know how many of the mechanisms that lend these services operate and which species are most responsible. Within this framework, I can see the appeal that a term like soil 'health' would have to individuals that must provide answers and solutions to many of these problems. ... The book has significant and interesting amounts of information that are worth the price of the book. This volume will appeal to many workers in ecology, agriculture, and management settings. Graduate students and researchers in areas such as microbial ecology and soil sciences should get plenty of discussions going in seminars and journal club meetings with this work."--Environmental Entomology