Conceptual and practical challenges of assessing soil quality

Abstract

Soil supports and maintains all life systems on the planet, but society has used it in a way that depletes and degrades it, affecting soil quality. Based on a systemic review of publications appearing between 2000 and 2020, this article analyses the conceptual evolution of soil quality, addressing aspects such as management, sampling depth, methods and indicators of soil quality, and the challenges soil science faces to achieve comprehensive quality assessments that promote soil conservation and its sustainable use. The analysis reveals the conceptual evolution of soil quality and how, from its new conception, the holistic understanding of this natural resource is promoted by including soil ecosystem services and the social component. New methods and indicators have allowed researchers to increase their knowledge of soil quality, and they are relevant in each of the study contexts analysed. However, the minimum data sets (MDS) do not always comprise physical, chemical, and biological attributes. The priorities for comprehensive soil quality assessment include strengthening the participatory approach, introducing sustainability‐based scenarios, including biochemical indicators, and establishing a legal framework that articulates the results of assessments for decision‐making. In the current global context of land use, soil quality should not only be seen as a concept but as a scientific and social instrument that can contribute to comprehensive land planning and management.