Indicators of soil quality for UK forestry

Abstract

This paper briefly reviews the pressures on forest soils as essential parts of forest ecosystems, and the services expected of them. It reports the use of soil quality indicators in forestry world-wide, and makes recommendations for the utilization of direct and indirect (headline/surrogate/ awareness) measures of soil or site quality suitable for use in a forestry context in the UK. It reviews the degree of forest soil monitoring in Great Britain, and the problems posed by spatial and temporal variation associated with this activity. It identifies research needed to increase the ability to use more direct measures of soil function in the future.