Visual Soil Assessment., Volumes 1–4

Excerpt

A primary goal associated with the worldwide soil quality research and technology transfer efforts has been to produce science-based soil assessment and educational tools that can help increase public awareness regarding both the complexity and fragility of soil resources. The underlying purpose for producing these tools is to help land managers make better decisions regarding their soil management practices.

This four-volume set, developed specifically for New Zealand conditions, but potentially adaptable for use in other countries, provides instructions for visual soil assessment and guidelines for improved soil management for both crop and pastoral land. Volumes 1 and 3 provide the actual field guidelines for assessing soil quality under cropping and pastoral grazing on lowland (Vol. 1) and hill country (Vol. 3). Volumes 2 and 4 provide soil management guidelines and options that can help land managers respond if the assessment indicates their soil quality is moderate or poor.

Each volume is written in an easyto-read style with high-quality comparative photographs and a brief text describing each …