Soil vital signs: A new Soil Quality Index (SQI) for assessing forest soil health

Michael C. Amacher; Katherine P. O'Neil; Charles H. (Hobie) Perry

doi:10.2737/RMRS-RP-65

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Soil vital signs: A new Soil Quality Index (SQI) for assessing forest soil health

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Michael C. Amacher, Katherine P. O'Neil, Charles H. (Hobie) Perry

Year:

2007

Type:

Research Paper

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/RMRS-RP-65

Source:

Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-65. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 12 p.

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Download (PDF 776 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/27300.pdf

Abstract

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program measures a number of chemical and physical properties of soils to address specific questions about forest soil quality or health. We developed a new index of forest soil health, the soil quality index (SQI), that integrates 19 measured physical and chemical properties of forest soils into a single number that serves as the soil's "vital sign" of overall soil quality. Regional and soil depth differences in SQI values due to differences in soil properties were observed. The SQI is a new tool for establishing baselines and detecting forest health trends.

Keywords

forest soil health, Forest Inventory and Analysis, soil indicator database, soil quality index

Citation

Amacher, Michael C.; O'Neil, Katherine P.; Perry, Charles H. 2007. Soil vital signs: A new Soil Quality Index (SQI) for assessing forest soil health. Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-65. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 12 p.