soil health, is, for a soil scientist, synonymous with soil quality, but the term emphasizes the living nature of soil, dependent on the healthy function of soil biota. Soil quality may be defined holistically as ‘the capacity of a soil to function within ecosystem boundaries to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health’. A soil’s condition and capability depend on the interaction of many chemical, physical, and biological processes and determine its suitability for the specific aims of a viticulturist or winegrower in a particular location. See also vineyard site selection.
