Abstract

This paper provides practical guidance for determining when it is—and is not—worth considering soil variability when making land management decisions and implementing land restoration initiatives. It presents a two-part framework that can be used by farmers, ranchers, land use planners, and other natural resource decision-makers to determine whether or not it is worth modifying management in different parts of a field, pasture, watershed, or region based on differences in soil properties and processes. The “prepare” part of the framework includes five steps: (A) defining the management or restoration area, (B) defining the objective or objectives, (C) identifying key soil and topographic properties and defining functionally significant variability based on the objectives and costs of modifying management across the area, (D) acquiring soil maps and other soil information, and (E) accessing relevant local and scientific knowledge. The second part of the framework, “decide,” includes seven questions, which are designed to determine whether or not management should be modified based on variability of key soil properties, and, if so, whether it is worth collecting additional soil information. The decision framework is presented in a figure and illustrated by a practical irrigation scheduling example.

Citation

Herrick, J. E., Maynard, J. M., Bestelmeyer, B. T., Carey, C. J., Salley, S. W., Shepherd, K., Stewart, Z. P., Wills, S. A., & Ziadat, F. M. (2023). Practical guidance for deciding whether to account for soil variability when managing for land health, agricultural production, and climate resilience. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 78(6). https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2023.0706a