{
  "$schema": "https://terraevidence.com/evidence-record.schema.json",
  "recordId": "EP-PUB-002",
  "version": "1.0",
  "status": {
    "code": "reviewed-for-stated-scope",
    "label": "Reviewed for stated scope",
    "meaning": "Checked for the stated wording, sources, methods, context, limits, and review period; not universally proven."
  },
  "topic": "Measurement",
  "title": "No single measurement defines soil health.",
  "claim": "No single measurement defines soil health.",
  "summary": "Soil health describes continued capacity to perform multiple functions. It is not measured directly; indicators provide evidence about physical, chemical, biological, plant, and visual conditions.",
  "evidenceSupports": [
    "Choose indicators that relate to a defined function, use consistent methods and sampling conditions, preserve units and context, and look for patterns across indicators and through time. Interpret results within the soil, climate, land use, and management system being studied."
  ],
  "doesNotEstablish": [
    "One organism count, nutrient result, respiration value, organic-matter percentage, crop yield, or visual observation does not provide a complete or universally comparable soil-health verdict."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "sourceId": "EP-PUB-002-S1",
      "sourceType": "institutional-guidance",
      "institution": "USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service",
      "title": "Soil Health Assessment",
      "url": "https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health/soil-health-assessment",
      "relevance": "States that soil health cannot be determined from one outcome and describes useful physical, chemical, biological, plant, and visual indicators."
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "EP-PUB-002-S2",
      "sourceType": "institutional-guidance",
      "institution": "USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service",
      "title": "Dynamic Soil Properties for Soil Health",
      "url": "https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/education-and-teaching-materials/dynamic-soil-properties-for-soil-health-dsp4sh",
      "relevance": "Describes work to collect consistent, replicable metrics across diverse soils, regions, and management systems while developing regionally relevant interpretations."
    }
  ],
  "scope": {
    "reviewedPeriod": "2026-08",
    "applicability": ["Reasoning about soil-health indicators in the soil, climate, land use, and management system being studied."],
    "limitations": [
      "Does not provide a complete or universally comparable soil-health verdict from one measurement.",
      "Does not provide personalized fertilizer, lime, amendment, crop, environmental, pest-control, or safety recommendations."
    ],
    "openQuestion": "Which smallest set of affordable measurements provides useful information for a specific garden decision without pretending to be a universal score?"
  },
  "useBoundary": "This reviewed record teaches research and diagnostic reasoning. It does not diagnose a plant or soil problem and does not provide personalized fertilizer, lime, amendment, crop, environmental, pest-control, or safety recommendations. Use laboratory documentation, diagnostic services, Extension resources, qualified professionals, applicable labels, and local regulations when a decision requires them.",
  "humanReadableUrl": "https://terraevidence.com/earth-project-reviewed-foundations#ep-pub-002",
  "machineReadableUrl": "https://terraevidence.com/evidence-records/ep-pub-002.json",
  "revision": { "version": "1.0", "publishedDate": "2026-08-17", "lastReviewedPeriod": "2026-08" }
}