Soil Science Society of America Journal publishes basic and applied soil research covering all areas of soil science in agricultural, forest, wetlands, and urban settings. Soil Science Society of America Journal is an international, comprehensive venue for interdisciplinary soil scientists, biogeochemists, and agronomists. It is the flagship journal of Soil Science Society of America.

Featured Article

Long-term continuous maize: Impacts on the soil microbiome and implications for residue management

Long-term continuous maize: Impacts on the soil microbiome and implications for residue management

Photo by Alison Vogel

Researchers found that residue sizing, applied ammonium sulfate, and a microbial spray combined to reduce the continuous maize yield penalty and that long-term rotation had a greater influence on soil fungal, not bacterial, communities. Read more.

Browse Articles

An empirical equation for sediment transport capacity of overland flow: Integrating slope, discharge, and particle size

  •  8 February 2025

Core Ideas

  • Developed an empirical equation to estimate sediment transport capacity using slope, discharge, and particle size.
  • Equation achieved high accuracy (R2 = 0.99, NSE = 0.99), outperforming existing empirical equations.
  • The equation aligns with stream power theory, bridging empirical data with sediment transport physics.
  • Flow discharge and slope are the two main factors influencing the power of overland flow for sediment transport.

A short history of astropedology

  •  6 February 2025

Core Ideas

  • Astropedology is the study of soils on other planetary bodies.
  • Soils are defined as surface altered by physical, chemical, or biological processes.
  • Astropedology was founded by Roy Cameron in 1966 as part of NASA Viking program.
  • Lunar and Martian soils already have been studied in detail.

Mineralization potential of spent coffee grounds and other nutrient sources

  •  28 January 2025

Core Ideas

  • Spent coffee grounds (SCGs) are nitrogen-rich, high-volume organic waste that could be used as a soil amendment.
  • Composted SCGs appear to have an ideal C:N, but predicting the rate of N mineralization is crucial.
  • Utilizing SCGs as a soil amendment increases soil respiration, which may improve soil health.

Microscale imaging of phosphate mobility under unsaturated flow as affected by a fertilizer enhancing polymer

  •  28 January 2025

Core Ideas

  • The soil track system is an effective tool for assessing the movement of chemicals through soil.
  • Phosphorus can be transported through soil under unsaturated water flow conditions.
  • Sodium in the commercial fertilizer enhancer AVAIL may result in localized soil dispersion if applied at a high rate.
  • Soil dispersion by sodium may result in fixation of phosphorus.

Open access

Improved method for isotopic measurement of free‐living nitrogen fixation

  •  22 January 2025

Core Ideas

  • Direct measurement of free-living nitrogen fixation (FLNF) is constrained by existing 15N methods.
  • An ex situ method is described in detail for incubating samples in a desiccator containing purified 15N2.
  • A demonstration was conducted using this method to verify treatment effects on FLNF.
  • The method proposed eliminates constraints regarding atmospheric contamination and variability.

Open access

Field trial guidelines for evaluating enhanced efficiency fertilizers

Core Ideas

  • Many enhanced efficiency fertilizers lack published field trial data to support efficacy claims.
  • Common field trial protocols were developed for evaluating enhanced efficiency fertilizers.
  • Proper experimental design and minimum datasets support large-scale impact and end-user confidence.
  • Appropriate agronomic and environmental measures should support product efficacy claims and recommendations.

Open access

The soil health assessment protocol and evaluation applied to soil organic carbon

Core Ideas

  • Response of soil health (SH) indicators to land use and management is site-specific.
  • Soil Health Assessment Protocol and Evaluation (SHAPE) is proposed as a flexible tool.
  • The SHAPE builds upon conceptual frameworks established by the SMAF and CASH protocols.
  • The SHAPE provides SH interpretation for soil peer groups based on edaphic and climatic factors.
  • This tool provides knowledge about the status of soils in response to agronomic practices.

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