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https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/21508
Title: | The status of soil macrofauna as indicators of soil health to monitor the sustainability of Australian agricultural soils | Contributor(s): | Lobry De Bruyn, Lisa (author) | Publication Date: | 1997 | DOI: | 10.1016/S0921-8009(97)00052-9 | Handle Link: | https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/21508 | Abstract: | Australian farmers are searching for reliable, easily measured indicators of soil health to monitor sustainability of their enterprises. Over the past 5 years earthworms have been promoted as indicators of soil health by some researchers. Others have been reluctant to accept soil macrofauna in general as soil health indicators; Their reluctance is based on the difficulty of interpreting biological data in relation to soil health as there is no clear understanding of the links between soil macrofauna and soil health. The problem is further compounded by the inherent difficulty in studying soil biota, inadequate experimental design, and the lack of long-term commitment to funding such studies. This paper reflects on current research, and maps out conditions and directions for future research if the role of soil macrofauna in soil health is to be better understood. The compilation of adequate baseline data, the appropriate delineation of experimental plots, attention to the totality of environmental conditions including land management practices, the consideration of impact by macrofauna other than earthworms, are some of the directions are outlined. The challenge in the future will be to shift the emphasis of soil macrofauna research towards understanding their function in soil processes essential to ecosystem functioning. Without this sort of experimental evidence scientists cannot indicate to the farmer whether the soil resource is declining in quality, is stable or in a process of renewal based on the presence or absence of certain macrofauna. | Publication Type: | Journal Article | Source of Publication: | Ecological Economics, 23(2), p. 167-178 | Publisher: | Elsevier BV | Place of Publication: | Netherlands | ISSN: | 1873-6106 0921-8009 |
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: | 050102 Ecosystem Function 050206 Environmental Monitoring 050303 Soil Biology |
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: | 961402 Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Soils 960609 Sustainability Indicators 961403 Forest and Woodlands Soils |
Peer Reviewed: | Yes | HERDC Category Description: | C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal |
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Appears in Collections: | Journal Article School of Environmental and Rural Science |
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