Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
an integrated, whole-system process. Focusing on the pro-
cesses that promote the maintenance of a healthy, dynamic,
and productive system becomes paramount. Fertility man-
agement is based on our understanding of nutrient cycles,
organic matter development, and the balance between the
living and nonliving components of the soil. The applica-
tion of our understanding of the ecological processes that
maintain the structure and function of the soil ecosystem
over time takes on the greatest importance. And since the
soil ecosystem is a complex, dynamic, and ever-changing
set of components and processes, our understanding of this
complexity must increase.
Good soil management is an important part of attain-
ing overall sustainability of agroecosystems. Many of the
indicators of sustainability discussed in Chapter 21 relate
directly to soil.
Contains a wealth of information about the
biology and chemistry of soil and the rela-
tionships between soil management and
sustainability.
Rodale Research Foundation
www.newfarm.org
A wealth of examples of alternative farm man-
agement practices, especially of soils.
US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources
Conservation Service
soils.usda.gov
The NRCS soils website, providing extensive
science-based soil information, including
soil surveys from across the nation.
RECOMMENDED READING
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Brady, N.C. and R.R. Weil. 2001. The Nature and Properties of
Soils. 13th ed. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, New
Jersey. One of the most complete reference topics on
soil as a natural resource; highlights the many interac-
tions between soil and other components of the eco-
system. The recognized primer of soil science.
Frissel, M.J. (ed.) 1978. Cycling of Mineral Nutrients in
Agricultural Ecosystems. Elsevier: Amsterdam. A
pioneering work on the need for an ecological approach
to the study of nutrient use in agriculture.
Jenny, H. 1994. Factors of Soil Formation. Reprint edition of the
1941 original. Dover Publications: Toronto, Canada.
The classic textbook on soil and the soil formation pro-
cess; emphasizes the soil as a complex system that
changes through time.
Juo, A.S.R. and K. Franzluebbers. 2003. Tropical Soils: Properties
and Management for Sustainable Agriculture . Oxford
University Press USA: Cary, NC. A text that uses an
agroecological approach to describe the tropical soil envi-
ronments of sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and
South and Central America, focusing on production and
management systems unique to each region.
Magdoff, F. and H. van Es. 2000. Building Soils for Better Crops .
2nd ed. Sustainable Agriculture Network Handbook
Series. Sustainable Agriculture Publications: Burling-
ton, Vermont. Very farmer-friendly and practical infor-
mation that explains how ecological soil management
boosts soil fertility and yields, while reducing pest pres-
sures and environmental impacts.
Magdoff, F. and R.R. Weil. 2004. Soil Organic Matter in Sus-
tainable Agriculture . Advances in Agroecology Series.
CRC Press: Boca Raton, Florida. This topic provides
the essential scientific background to understand soil
organic matter and develop improved soil and crop
management systems.
Paddock, J., N. Paddock, and C. Bly. 1986. Soil and Survival:
Land Stewardship and the Future of American Agricul-
ture. Sierra Club Books: San Francisco. An important
work on the need for linking sound soil management
with sustainability in American agriculture.
1.
Organic matter is considered to be one of the
most important components of a healthy soil
ecosystem, but most agricultural activities (i.e.,
plowing, burning, cultivation, harvest) remove,
reduce, or degrade organic matter. What are
some of the most practical ways of maintaining
this valuable resource in the soil?
2.
What are the key factors that determine how long
a degraded soil will take to be restored to a con-
dition similar to its previous healthy condition?
3.
What is the difference between dirt and soil?
4.
It has recently been proposed that we develop
some indicators of “soil health” in order to
determine the sustainability of different farming
practices. What indicators do you think should
be used to evaluate the health of the soil?
5.
Why is it important for farmers to learn how to
use the concept of the soil ecosystem?
INTERNET RESOURCES
www.pedosphere.com
An on-line soil science magazine.
Natural Resources Conservation Service: Soil Quality
soils.usda.gov/sqi
The Soil Quality portion of the NRCS Soils
website, with information about soil man-
agement practices, soil biology, and soil
quality assessment.
National Sustainable Agriculture Information
Service: Sustainable Soil Management
www.attra.org/attra-pub/soilmgmt.html#
Resources
Search WWH ::




Custom Search