Evaluating Soil Health and Sustainability: From North Carolina to Connecticut
by Wayne Roper
November 16th, 12-1pm, W.B. Young 002
Shifting perspectives about agricultural production are causing a greater focus on soil health, which is defined as the capacity for soil to perform ecosystem services. Current knowledge about beneficial soil ecosystem services has persuaded many farmers to enhance natural ecological processes that sustain soil resources. Because soil health is not a directly measurable characteristic of soils, multiple soil properties are used as indicators of soil health. These indicators include physical, chemical, and biological soil properties, but there is no standard for determining which indicators are most representative of soil health. None of the soil health indicators have been assessed in regionally unique soil conditions. We used the Cornell Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health and Haney Soil Heath Test to evaluate soil health for long-term agronomic trials in different ecosystems of North Carolina. The trials included combinations of conservation and conventional management with varying amounts of tillage. Results from the North Carolina assessments will be presented along with information about ongoing research with sustainable soil management on land managed by Connecticut dairy farmers. For many years, dairy farmers have applied nutrients to soils in the form of fertilizers and manures, and N and P from those applications have become a serious environmental issue. UConn researchers are currently experimenting with Connecticut soils to better understand and address nutrient management issues in a manner that balances agricultural use with environmental safety. Implications of this research will be presented along with a discussion of future challenges for maintaining soil health in Connecticut.
About the speaker:
- Wayne Roper, Ph.D.
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- UConn Dept. of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture
For more information, contact: PSLA at psla@uconn.edu