Scilight Press

Aims

The journal Soil Health (SH) is a gold open access, peer-reviewed journal that aims to bring together current research and reviews in the areas of soil health, encompassing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils and their capacity to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant, animal, and human health. The journal aims to highlight current cutting-edge research from around the world and to promote the advancement of soil science while making such breakthroughs accessible in a constructive way. As such, the journal welcomes primary research papers that report on novel aspects and new data from any soil ecosystem, including agricultural, forest, grassland, wetland, and urban soils. Therefore, articles presenting investigations on any aspect of soil health or soil functions are welcome. In particular, we welcome studies into the response mechanisms of soils to altered land use, management practices, or environmental change, such as those related to climate change, pollution, erosion, salinization, or any other circumstances that lead to soil degradation. The journal also welcomes reviews as long as they are not simply descriptive, but help to steer the field forward in a constructive manner. Systematic reviews and minireviews are welcomed, as are opinion articles that present views and research directions that are challenged. Interdisciplinary research is particularly welcome, such as the use of digital technologies, remote sensing, or artificial intelligence to facilitate research in soil health.

Soil Health is published quarterly online by Scilight Press.

Scope

The journal SH focuses on and highlights any aspects of soil health, including the physical, chemical, and biological properties and processes that contribute to the sustainable functioning of soils. The journal aims to cover any soil type and any terrestrial ecosystem. Topics for contributions to the journal include, but are not limited to:

• The discovery of new indicators or metrics for assessing soil health
• Changes in soil properties and functions under stressful conditions, including contamination, compaction, salinization, acidification, or nutrient imbalance
• Soil organic matter dynamics and carbon sequestration in relation to soil health
• Soil biodiversity and microbial community structure and function
• Plant–soil–microbe interactions and their role in nutrient cycling and plant health
• Soil water relations, hydraulic properties, and their impact on soil health
• Soil erosion, degradation, and restoration practices
• Effects of agricultural management practices (e.g., tillage, cover cropping, organic amendments) on soil health
• Remediation of polluted soils and the recovery of soil functions
• Soil health in the context of climate change adaptation and mitigation
• Development and application of soil health assessment frameworks and decision support tools
• Digital technologies, including remote sensing, proximal sensing, and machine learning, for soil health monitoring and mapping
• Policy and socio economic aspects of promoting soil health
• Soil health impacts on crop productivity, food quality, and environmental sustainability
• Physical, chemical, and biological engineering technologies for soil health cultivation
• Design and field application of interventions to rehabilitate degraded soils and enhance soil functions
• Integrated mechanical-hydraulic-biological solutions for restoring eroded, compacted, saline, or contaminated sites
• Novel engineering materials (e.g., nano-amendments, slow-release carriers) with assessment of efficacy, safety, and long-term impacts