Beneath the surface: A 25-year review of soil monitoring in the U.S

Abstract

Soils are a critical component of forest ecosystems and the global terrestrial carbon cycle. They regulate the resources that limit plant and microbial activity, support biodiversity, serve as reservoirs of carbon, and influence forest health. Systematic soil data can help fill key knowledge gaps, such as the sensitivity of forest health and functioning to disturbances and agents of change and the capacity of soils to help mitigate climate change through carbon storage. Since 2000, the Nationwide Forest Inventory (NFI) conducted by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program has systematically collected soil data from forested lands across the United States (U. S.). This includes metrics related to nutrient and water availability, carbon storage, toxic substance accumulation, soil acidification, erosion, compaction, and other attributes that are critical for assessing forest health and function. To date, nearly 10,000 forested NFI plots have been sampled nationwide, of which approximately 23 % have been resampled. By integrating these systematic forest soil data with site-level information, aboveground forest attributes, and other ecological data, the NFI aims to deepen our understanding of forest dynamics, inform sustainable management practices, and address challenges posed by global environmental change and forest disturbances. As information needs and the challenges faced by forests continue to evolve, there is an opportunity to adapt the sampling design, attributes measured, and protocols used. This paper reflects on the NFI’s 25-year history of soil assessments, provides a status update, explores various data applications, and highlights both limitations and potential improvements to meet emerging research questions and management needs.

Citation

​Pastore, Melissa A.; Lang, Ashley K.; Shaw, John D.; Cahoon, Sean M.P.; Peter-Contesse, Hayley; Owen, Suzanne M.; Morin, Randall S.; Knott, Jonathan A.; Domke, Grant M.; Esham, Belinda; Berryman, Erin M. 2025. Beneath the surface: A 25-year review of soil monitoring in the U.S. Forest Inventory and Analysis program. Forest Ecology and Management. 595: 123023. 17 p. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123023.