Soil health is an integrative property that reflects the soil's capacity to respond to agricultural interventions, supporting both agricultural production and ecosystem services. It depends on maintaining four major functions: carbon transformations, nutrient cycles, soil structure maintenance, and pest/disease regulation. These functions are influenced by biological processes of soil organisms under abiotic conditions. Current models show that measuring individual organisms or processes is insufficient to assess soil health, and quantifying energy and carbon flows between functions is essential for its management. Soil health is defined as a soil capable of supporting food and fibre production and delivering essential ecosystem services. It is influenced by soil type, organisms, carbon and energy, and nutrients. Soil health is affected by external pressures, and its assessment requires considering the system's capacity, resistance, and resilience. Soil health is indicated by its performance relative to other soils, with healthy soils having extended working ranges and higher conversion ratios. Assessing soil health involves measuring performance curves and reactions to external pressures. However, practical difficulties include defining ecosystem services, the complexity of soil systems, and the variability of environmental factors. Diagnostic tests can provide information on soil condition, but they must consider the unique characteristics of different soil populations. Biotic indicators, such as community composition and functional groups, are important for assessing soil health. The potential for phenotypic and functional profiling as indicators is greater than genetic profiling. Agricultural practices can impact soil health by altering natural balances and compromising ecosystem services. Sustainable agriculture requires balancing ecosystem functions to meet production goals without compromising other services. Agricultural soils have been altered by human interventions, leading to changes in soil properties and a decline in ecosystem functions. Nutrient losses and changes in soil structure can reduce the soil's capacity to retain nutrients and support ecosystem services. The soil food web is also affected, with changes in soil fauna and microbial communities. Sustainable soil management requires understanding these impacts and implementing practices that maintain soil health and ecosystem services.Soil health is an integrative property that reflects the soil's capacity to respond to agricultural interventions, supporting both agricultural production and ecosystem services. It depends on maintaining four major functions: carbon transformations, nutrient cycles, soil structure maintenance, and pest/disease regulation. These functions are influenced by biological processes of soil organisms under abiotic conditions. Current models show that measuring individual organisms or processes is insufficient to assess soil health, and quantifying energy and carbon flows between functions is essential for its management. Soil health is defined as a soil capable of supporting food and fibre production and delivering essential ecosystem services. It is influenced by soil type, organisms, carbon and energy, and nutrients. Soil health is affected by external pressures, and its assessment requires considering the system's capacity, resistance, and resilience. Soil health is indicated by its performance relative to other soils, with healthy soils having extended working ranges and higher conversion ratios. Assessing soil health involves measuring performance curves and reactions to external pressures. However, practical difficulties include defining ecosystem services, the complexity of soil systems, and the variability of environmental factors. Diagnostic tests can provide information on soil condition, but they must consider the unique characteristics of different soil populations. Biotic indicators, such as community composition and functional groups, are important for assessing soil health. The potential for phenotypic and functional profiling as indicators is greater than genetic profiling. Agricultural practices can impact soil health by altering natural balances and compromising ecosystem services. Sustainable agriculture requires balancing ecosystem functions to meet production goals without compromising other services. Agricultural soils have been altered by human interventions, leading to changes in soil properties and a decline in ecosystem functions. Nutrient losses and changes in soil structure can reduce the soil's capacity to retain nutrients and support ecosystem services. The soil food web is also affected, with changes in soil fauna and microbial communities. Sustainable soil management requires understanding these impacts and implementing practices that maintain soil health and ecosystem services.