Soil Health Assessment and Management Framework for Water-Limited Environments: Examples from the Great Plains of the USA
Rajan Ghimire,
Vesh R. Thapa,
Veronica Acosta-Martinez,
Meagan Schipanski,
Lindsey C. Slaughter,
Steven J. Fonte,
Manoj K. Shukla,
Prakriti Bista,
Sangamesh V. Angadi,
Maysoon M. Mikha,
Olufemi Adebayo,
Tess Noble Strohm
Affiliations
Rajan Ghimire
Agricultural Science Center Clovis, New Mexico State University, 2346 State Road 288, Clovis, NM 88101, USA
Vesh R. Thapa
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences Las Cruces, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
Veronica Acosta-Martinez
US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Services, Cropping Systems Research Laboratory, Wind Erosion and Water Conservation Unit, Lubbock, TX 79415, USA
Meagan Schipanski
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Lindsey C. Slaughter
Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
Steven J. Fonte
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Manoj K. Shukla
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences Las Cruces, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
Prakriti Bista
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences Las Cruces, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
Sangamesh V. Angadi
Agricultural Science Center Clovis, New Mexico State University, 2346 State Road 288, Clovis, NM 88101, USA
Maysoon M. Mikha
USDA–ARS Central Plains Resources Management Research, Akron, CO 80720, USA
Olufemi Adebayo
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences Las Cruces, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
Tess Noble Strohm
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Healthy soils provide the foundation for sustainable agriculture. However, soil health degradation has been a significant challenge for agricultural sustainability and environmental quality in water-limited environments, such as arid and semi-arid regions. Soils in these regions is often characterized by low soil organic matter (SOM), poor fertility, and low overall productivity, thus limiting the ability to build SOM. Soil health assessment frameworks developed for more productive, humid, temperate environments typically emphasize building SOM as a key to soil health and have identified the best management practices that are often difficult to implement in regions with water limitations. This study reviewed existing soil health assessment frameworks to assess their potential relevance for water-limited environments and highlights the need to develop a framework that links soil health with key ecosystem functions in dry climates. It also discusses management strategies for improving soil health, including tillage and residue management, organic amendments, and cropping system diversification and intensification. The assessment of indicators sensitive to water management practices could provide valuable information in designing soil health assessment frameworks for arid and semi-arid regions. The responses of soil health indicators are generally greater when multiple complementary soil health management practices are integrated, leading to the resilience and sustainability of agriculture in water-limited environments.
