Impacts of management of soil health - site-specific delivery of sustainable agro-ecosystems

Abstract

Technological developments in tillage, agrochemicals and plant breeding underpinned agricultural intensification in the 20th century. More recently the key role of soil organisms has been re-recognised and maintaining soil health has become a target for farm management strategies as part of the increased focus on sustainable intensification. Here the use of a descriptive model, which draws from the approaches of landscape ecology, is evaluated as a tool to support assessment of the site-specific impacts of management practices on soil health. Initial evaluation shows good description of the impacts of tillage systems and the potential to provide outputs in a range of formats that develop site-specific understanding of soil health that supports practical innovation to create locally-adapted management within sustainable agro-ecosystems.