Soil fertility - Phenomenon and concept

This paper is based on an extensive review of soil fertility in the literat ure of soil science, agronomy and ethnic studies. The spectrum of scientifi c opinions on soil fertility was visualized in mind-maps, definition types were analyzed, and problems within the conceptual approach towards soil fer tility were shown. Differently oriented concepts were divided between the t erms of soil fertility and soil quality. Soil fertility is not applicable a s a technical term in natural sciences as it describes a definite, but disp ositional (concealed), soil feature; therefore, it is not fully operational izable for the natural sciences. Soil quality denotes undefined and interchangeable sets of appreciated soil attributes and functionalities, which are assigned by value judgements. It is a tool that integrates different soil state variables and functions in order to evaluate the capacity of a soil to do what it is expected (i.e. fu nction) or to assess the sustainability of current land-use practices. The phenomenon of soil fertility appears to the consciousness as an autonom ous counter-instance with its own mental and material qualities, referred t o in traditional cultic cultivation. The main features of cultic cultivatio n of soil fertility are the uniting of the four elements, the religio towar ds the spiritual side of nature, the sacrificial, and the eros. A reevaluation of the soil fertility phenomenon in modern terms would be an innovative and forward-looking research program. Practical and scientific work on soil fertility should rediscover and revive the feeling for, and ap perception of, the phenomenon of soil fertility in its mental and material aspects.