Revision of soil quality indicator target ranges

Soil quality indicators have been used in State of the Environment (SoE) reporting for the past 20+ years and cover several soil characteristics important for predicting agronomic performance and environmental impacts (eg, macroporosity, Olsen P). Provisional target ranges for soil quality indicators were published in 2008. While there has been review and some revision to target ranges, a substantial amount of additional soil monitoring, reporting, and research has been undertaken since the provisional target ranges were set. 

This cross-CRI project, funded by the Ministry for the Environment, considered new research and data generated since soil quality monitoring started, including environmental responses to factors measured by soil quality indicators, to review and propose new target ranges for the soil quality indicators. This webinar will present the revised target – or reference – ranges for the 7 core soil quality indicators and hot-water extractable carbon, and provide an overview of the review, the development process and considerations for the use of reference ranges in SoE monitoring.

Presenter: Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Dr Jo Cavanagh, Acting Portfolio Leader - Managing Land & Water; Land Use & Ecosystems