A review of visual soil evaluation techniques for soil structure
Abstract
Abstract Soil structure forms a key component of soil quality, and its assessment by semi‐quantitative visual soil evaluation ( VSE ) techniques can help scientists, advisors and farmers make decisions regarding sampling and soil management. VSE techniques require inexpensive equipment and generate immediate results that correlate well with quantitative measurements of physical and biochemical properties, highlighting their potential utility. We reviewed published VSE techniques and found that soils of certain textures present problems and a lack of research into the influence of soil moisture content on VSE criteria. Generally, profile methods evaluate process interactions at specific locations within a field, exploring both intrinsic aspects and anthropogenic impacts. Spade methods focus on anthropogenic characteristics, providing rapid synopses of soil structure over wider areas. Despite a focus on structural form, some methods include criteria related to stability and resiliency. Further work is needed to improve existing methods regarding texture influences, on‐farm sampling procedures and more holistic assessments of soil structure.
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Visual soil assessment provides different information than laboratory approaches.
“Because visual soil assessment provides di ff erent information than laboratory approaches (Emmet-Booth et al., 2016)”
From Soil quality – A critical review (2018) · cites this paper as Emmet-Booth et al., 2016
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Soil quality – A critical review
Bünemann, E. K., Bongiorno, G., Bai, Z., Creamer, R. E., De Deyn, G., de Goede, R., Fleskens, L., Geissen, V., Kuyper, T. W., Mäder, P., et al. (2018) · Soil Biology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.01.030 · Cited by 2,960 · see citing works
- Authors
- Emmet‐Booth, J. P., Forristal, P. D., Fenton, O., Ball, B. C., & Holden, N. M.
- Affiliations
- University College Dublin (IE)
- Teagasc - The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (IE)
- Scotland's Rural College (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Emmet‐Booth, J. P.
- Venue
- Soil Use and Management
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-10-04
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 623-634
- ISSN
- 0266-0032 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2743
- OpenAlex
- W2528776655
- Cited by
- 75
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 8.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Soil Use and Management (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (13S/468)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Management and Crop Yield
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Science and Environmental Management
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Keywords
- soil structure, soil quality, soil texture, soil moisture, profile method, soil stability, soil management
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