Soil Quality Assessment under Emerging Regulatory

New and emerging policies that aim to set standards for protection and sustainable use of soil 10 are likely to require identification of geographical risk/ priority areas. Soil degradation can be 11 seen as the change or disturbance in soil quality and it is therefore crucial that soil and soil 12 quality are well understood to protect soils and to meet legislative requirements. To increase 13 this understanding a review of the soil quality definition evaluated its development, with a formal 14 scientific approach to assessment beginning in the 1970’s, followed by a period of discussion 15 and refinement. A number of reservations about soil quality assessment expressed in the 16 literature are summarised. Taking concerns into account, a definition of soil quality incorporating 17 soil’s ability to meet multifunctional requirements, to provide ecosystem services, and the 18 potential for soils to affect other environmental media is described. Assessment using this 19 definition requires a large number of soil function dependent indicators that can be expensive, 20 laborious, prone to error, and problematic in comparison. Findings demonstrate the need for a 21 method that is not function dependent, but uses a number of cross functional indicators instead. 22 This method to systematically prioritise areas where detailed investigation is required, using a 23 ranking based against a desired level of action, could be relatively quick, easy and cost 24 effective. As such this has potential to fill in gaps and compliment existing monitoring programs 25 and assist in development and implementation of current and future soil protection legislation. 26