ABSTRACT
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The terms “soil health” and “soil quality” are becoming increasingly familiar worldwide,
reflecting a growing appreciation for soil as a major component of the biosphere and as a
fundamental resource that must be monitored and protected for the sustainability of
all life on the planet. Doran and Parkin (1994) defined soil quality as: “the capacity
of a soil to function, within ecosystem and land use boundaries, to sustain biological
productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health.”
In general, soil health and soil quality can be considered synonymous. While some
scientists are most comfortable with the term “soil quality,” at Cornell University we
have constituted a Soil Health Program Team as a multidisciplinary effort that involves
university researchers, extension educators, and farmer-cooperators. Our terminology
reflects an emphasis on new biological, as well as chemical and physical measures of
soil quality. The analogy with human health is useful from an educational standpoint.
For example:
