Abstract
There is an inseparable connection between the health of soils and the well-being of people. Disturbances - changing climate and environment, invasive species, increasing wildfire severity and frequency, land management practices, and land use changes - are affecting soil health in complex ways that are only partially understood. This assessment provides a baseline for soil health by synthesizing the most recent research on the properties and processes characterizing forest, rangeland, wetland, and urban soils at regional and national levels. It also summarizes the current state of knowledge about the effects of historical and ongoing disturbances. Finally, it highlights the technologies, networks, and outreach programs central to future research on, and monitoring and management of, the nation’s soils. The state of the knowledge indicates that adverse changes to soil properties could, in the long term, undermine the primary ecosystem services provided by soils: abundant water, food, and fiber and moderation of climate warming. Research that can further explain the underlying principles of soil science and the effects of disturbances is needed to inform policies and management practices to optimize soil health on a broad scale and support human health and welfare through the twenty-first century.
Parent Publication
Citation
Geiser, Linda H.; Patel-Weynand, Toral; Marsh, Anne S.; Mafune, Korena; Vogt, Daniel J. 2020. Challenges and Opportunities. In: Pouyat, Richard V.; Page-Dumroese, Deborah S.; Patel-Weynand, Toral; Geiser, Linda H., editors. 2020. Forest and rangeland soils of the United States under changing conditions: A comprehensive science synthesis. Springer, Cham. 189-198. Chapter 10.
