Four approaches to setting soil health targets and thresholds in agricultural soils

Matson, Amanda; Fantappiè, Maria; Campbell, Grant A.; Miranda-Vélez, Jorge F.; Faber, Jack H.; Gomes, Lucas Carvalho; Hessel, Rudi; Lana, Marcos; Mocali, Stefano; Smith, Pete; Robinson, David A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7290-4867; Bispo, Antonio; van Egmond, Fenny; Keesstra, Saskia; Saby, Nicolas P.A.; Smreczak, Bozena; Froger, Claire; Suleymanov, Azamat; Chenu, Claire. 2024 Four approaches to setting soil health targets and thresholds in agricultural soils. Journal of Environmental Management, 371, 123141. 12, pp. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123141

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123141

Abstract/Summary

Soil health is a key concept in worldwide efforts to reverse soil degradation, but to be used as a tool to improve soils, it must be definable at a policy level and quantifiable in some way. Soil indicators can be used to define soil health and quantify the degree to which soils fulfil expected functions. Indicators are assessed using target and/or threshold values, which define achievable levels of the indicators or functions. However, defining robust targets and thresholds is not a trivial task, as they should account for soil, climate, land-use, management, and history, among others. This paper introduces and discusses (through theory and stakeholder feedback) four approaches to setting targets and thresholds: fixed, reference, distribution and relative change. Three approaches (not including relative change) are then illustrated using a case study, located in Denmark, Italy, and France, which highlights key strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Finally, a framework is presented that facilitates both choosing the most appropriate target/threshold method for a given context, and using targets/thresholds to trigger follow-up actions to promote soil health.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123141
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0301-4797
Additional Keywords:	soil health, indicators, targets, thresholds, monitoring, framework
NORA Subject Terms:	Agriculture and Soil Science
Date made live:	21 Nov 2024 09:47 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/538411

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123141

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

0301-4797

Additional Keywords:

soil health, indicators, targets, thresholds, monitoring, framework

NORA Subject Terms:

Agriculture and Soil Science