ABSTRACT
Chemical, physical and biological soil properties are the building blocks for promoting and maintaining soil health (USDA, 1996). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines soil health or soil quality as the ability of the soil to perform the function necessary for its intended use (USDA, 2015). Soil health is best expressed through the perspective of soil as a living biological system that requires holistic management similar to that of human health (Reicosky, 2015). In agriculture, the intended use of soil is to support sustainable, high production yields with limited environmental consequence. Soil chemical components are important for soil health because they provide essential plant nutrients and support soil biological growth. In addition, healthy soil provides the appropriate chemical environment for the crop and supports microbial communities to thrive by maintaining optimal soil pH and low salt-affected conditions (Lehman et al., 2015). Chemical indicators of soil health include pH, salinity (electrical conductivity),
Chemical composition of soils: role in soil health Chemical composition of soils: role in soil health
organic matter (reactive carbon), phosphorus concentrations, cation exchange capacity (CEC), nutrient cycling (soil nitrate) and concentrations of elements that may be potential contaminants (heavy metals, radioactive compounds, etc.) or those that are needed for plant growth and development (USDA, 1996).
