Soil Health and Soil Hydrology: Intimate Links.

Soil hydrology stands at the forefront of soil health because of its critical importance in regulating soil physical, chemical, and biological processes. Not only do the interactions between soil and water affect a number of soil processes and properties, soil hydrology also links closely to soil types and landscape features as well as management practices that are closely tied to soil health. The goal of promoting soil health is to maintain or enhance soil functions with respect to biological productivity, environmental quality, and plant and animal health within ecosystem boundaries. Soil hydrology plays a key role because it determines how water enters into a soil, how water is partitioned within a soil or landscape, and how nutrients or contaminants are transported in an ecosystem. The magnitude of numerous fluxes and storage components in a soil or an ecosystem is strongly dictated by the hydrological condition of a soil. The vital interaction between soil and water allows for life to exist and thrive in diverse soils and ecosystems, which in turn alters physical, chemical, and biological processes and properties in the soil. These processes/properties and the manner in which the soil-landscape itself is managed can either promote positive soil water functions, through practices like minimizing structural degradation and providing adequate organic matter, or result in net losses of soil productivity via mechanisms including compaction and erosion. A holistic perspective is needed to manage soils sustainably, where soil hydrology is an integral key control.