Wednesday, 03 August 2022
New research, involving experts from the University of Nottingham, says that how we think about, measure and study soil must change, to give a better understanding of how to manage this vital resource effectively.
With the UK reaching record temperatures this summer along with the driest conditions since 1976, ongoing concerns about food security, wildlife habitats and biodiversity, having a healthy soil system is more vital and challenging than ever before. But what does the term ‘soil health’ mean and how should we measure it?
In a new study - A new theory for soil health - published in the European Journal of Soil Science, and led by experts from Cranfield University, along with colleagues from the University of Nottingham, experts propose an entirely new approach for assessing soil health.
Jim Harris, Professor of Environmental Technology at Cranfield University, says: “Although ‘soil health’ as a term is quite widely used now, it is problematic as it means different things to different people, and there is no single agreed way to measure the overall health of this system.
“Through this research, we want to start the conversation about how we move to a holistic picture of soil health assessment, looking at the interconnected elements of this universally important system. Taking steps towards a bigger-picture view of soil health could help make a huge difference to some of our big challenges, not least the climate crisis.”
Current approaches measure individual soil properties and use these to try and assign a single number giving an overall soil health ‘score’, but the researchers argue that this does not reflect the wider system perspective that’s needed to fully assess the condition of a soil and its health over time.
The researchers propose a whole system approach to assess soil health, based on a new hierarchical framework which takes in several measures:
- Signs of Life – characterising the organisms existing in soil
- Signs of Function – the extent to which soils process materials
- Signs of Complexity - the extent to which soil components are connected and interdependent
- Signs of Emergence – the extent to which soils respond and recover to multiple stressors
This new approach can be applied to all soils and moves us closer to an interdisciplinary understanding of the ‘whole picture’ of the soil system, rather than separately considering the individual pieces of the jigsaw.”
Professor Harris continued: “It is hard to understate the importance of having a healthy soil system – it supports wildlife and biodiversity, reduces flood risks, stores carbon and gives us food security. Moving towards this new model of assessment is going to help land users and governments to sustainably manage our global soil resources for future generations.”
The full study can be found here - A new theory for soil health
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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