Soil Health Framework
Concepts and Terms Defined

Beneficial species

Plants, insects, and other organisms that support the growth or performance of cash crops on the farm. For example, ladybugs and lacewings prey on aphids that can damage cash crops, and legume cover crops can add nitrogen to the soil.

Cover crops

Grasses, legumes, forbs, and other plants grown for seasonal vegetative cover.

Ecosystem services

The benefits that natural or semi-natural ecosystems provide to the broader farm operation, such as pollinator activity or water infiltration.

Functional groups

The categorization of plants into different groups based on the roles they play in agricultural systems. For example, legumes are a functional group that fix nitrogen in the soil, and brassicas are part of a functional group that combats soil compaction.

Holistic management

The concept that management practices are carried out with consideration for how those practices interact with each other and the rest of the farm.

Nutrient cycling

The movement of nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon into and out of the soil via biological, physical, and chemical processes. For example, nutrients applied to the soil are taken up by cover crops which return nutrients to the soil when they decompose.

Nutrient management

Prudent and efficient application of nutrients to match plant needs at the right time, rate, and place for plant use.

Organic fertilizer

Fertilizers derived from plant and animal sources that also contain carbon. For example, animal manure or plant compost.

Pesticide

Any substance or mixture intended to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate pests — including insects (insecticides), weeds (herbicides), plant pathogens (fungicides), rodents (rodenticides), and other organisms (biocides, etc.) that threaten crops, livestock, public health, or structures.

Resource concern

In this guide, concern for soil, water, air, or plant resources that have been degraded such that the sustainability or intended use of the resource is impaired. (See USDA NRCS Resource Concern List and Planning Criteria.)

Soil aggregation

A property of soils, where organic and mineral materials are bound together into small stable clumps via biological processes, stabilizing soils and improving soil functions.

Soil erosion

The loss of soil particles from fields via strong winds or rainwater runoff.

Soil health

The ability of soils to function as a natural ecosystem, providing services such as nutrient cycling, biological diversity, soil organism habitat, and water holding capacity. In addition to management practices, soil health is influenced by the soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties.

Synthetic fertilizer

Man-made, inorganic compounds containing highly concentrated, water-soluble plant nutrients.