Soils & Soil Health

Healthy soils are the basis for sustaining rangeland productivity and resilience. While much attention has been focused on soil health in recent years, ranchers and rangeland managers struggle with conflicting messages about the effects of management (e.g., grazing) and disturbance (e.g., fire, invasive species) on soil health. Additionally, while the opportunity for rangeland soils to store carbon is strongly promoted by carbon market businesses, the magnitude and variability of that potential is unclear. Stakeholders identified needs for coordination of additional research, continued work on communication via education and outreach, and improved collaboration related to soil health and soil carbon in rangelands. 

Project list

Exploring how spring grazing of meadows effects soil carbon and vegetation productivity

Project Leads: Eric Winford (UI-CNR), Laurel Lynch (UI-CALS), Tracey Johnson (UI-CNR), Wyatt Prescott 

An exploration of soil texture and structure within and among sites where Slickspot peppergrass has been observed

Project Leads: Bill Ebener (CSI), Eva Strand (UI-CNR) 

Evaluating the impacts of beaver dam analogs on soil health and water quality

Project Leads: Laurel Lynch (UI-CALS), Ellen Incelli* (UI-CALS), Eric Winford (UI-CNR) 

Publications

Visit the University of Idaho VERSO page for a full list of soil & soil health publications from Rangeland Center Members

  • Adjesiwor, A., Hines, S., Loomis, G., Willmore, C., & Packham, J. (2024). Effective Termination of Cover Crops before Planting Cash Crops (, Ill.). University of Idaho Extension. https://doi.org/10.60841/000000075
  • Moojen, F. G., Ryschawy, J., Wulfhorst, J. D., Archer, D. W., de Faccio Carvalho, P. C., & Hendrickson, J. R. (2024). Case study analysis of innovative producers toward sustainable integrated crop-livestock systems: trajectory, achievements, and thought process. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 44(3), . https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-024-00953-9
  • Friedrichsen, C. N., Mizuta, K., & Wulfhorst, J. D. (2022). Advancing the intersection of soil and well-being systems science. Soil Security, 6, 100036–. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soisec.2022.100036