People or place? Neighborhood opportunity influences community garden soil properties and soil-based ecosystem services
Monika Egerer, Stacy M. Philpott, Heidi Liere, Shalene Jha, Peter Bichier, Brenda B. Lin
International Journal of Biodiversity Science Ecosystems Services & Management
Urban Farm DB summary
This study examined 25 urban community gardens in California to investigate relationships between soil properties and neighborhood socio-demographics, focusing on (1) how groundcover management affects soil properties, and (2) how socio-demographics, particularly social advantage, affect groundcover management and soil properties. Mulch groundcover was found to improve soil fertility and water holding capacity in gardens, and socio-demographic factors appeared to affect residents' access to mulch: neighborhoods with higher mobility (e.g., greater vehicle availability) but poorer public/environmental health indicators (e.g., poorer health care access) had higher soil organic matter, nutrient content, and water holding capacity. However, indicators of high-functioning soils were also found in the absence of mulch, suggesting that other factors such as social networks and organizational support may also be important for ecosystem services in urban agricultural systems.