PAID ACCESS | Published on : 06-Jan-2026 | Pages: 71-88 | Doi : 10.37446/edibook222025/71-88
Soil quality underpins sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and ecosystem resilience. This chapter outlines core definitions and the evolution of soil quality assessment, emphasizing the transition from a primary focus on productivity and fertility to a multidimensional approach incorporating physical, chemical, and biological indicators. The Soil Quality Index (SQI) is introduced as an integrated tool, enabling objective aggregation of key soil attributes using data-driven and expert methods. Methods for assessing physical, chemical, and biological properties including conventional laboratory tests, near-infrared spectroscopy, and remote sensing are discussed, illustrating advances in monitoring soil condition at scale. Critical factors influencing soil quality, such as intrinsic soil parameters, management practices, and climate change impacts, are analyzed for their effects on structure, nutrient cycling, carbon dynamics, and degradation risk. The chapter highlights the essential roles of soil microorganisms in nutrient mineralization, structural stability, and bioremediation, alongside climate change’s implications for organic matter retention and ecosystem services. Current policy frameworks for soil quality monitoring are evaluated, with emphasis on linking robust assessment tools to governance strategies supporting land management and climate resilience. The synthesis offers pragmatic guidance for advancing soil quality monitoring, ensuring long-term productivity and environmental health.
Soil quality, soil quality index, nutrient cycling, climate resilience, soil microorganism
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