Potential for the use of chemical properties as indicators of soil quality. A review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17584/rcch.2017v11i2.5719

Keywords:

Soil quality assessment, interrelation of soil properties, agricultural systems.

Abstract

The need to understand and evaluate the quality of soils in agricultural production systems is an issue of increasing importance today because of the determination of impacts from management practices on the sustainability of this resource. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the concept of soil quality and indicators for its evaluation and to present some research on the potential of chemical properties for use as indicators of soil quality. Among the chemical properties that can be considered as indicators are nutrient availability, organic carbon content and labile organic carbon, pH, phosphate binding capacity, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen and mineralizable and organic matter. The importance of multivariate techniques to define chemical properties with a potential as soil quality indicators is highlighted. The greatest concern for the sustainable use of soil resources includes the need to develop approaches and tools that generate diagnoses for the effects of management practices implemented in the systems of agricultural production, that is, to provide information about soil quality in a given context.

JEL Classification

Array

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Afrifa, E.K., F.A. Armah, A.N.M. Pappoe y P.K. Essandoh. 2011. Assessment of the quality of revegetated soil near an active goldmine in southwestern Ghana. Int. J. Environ. Sci. 2, 873-888.

Arnold, R.W., I. Szabolcs y V.O. Targulian. 1990. Global soil change. Report of an International Institute for Applied System Analysis. ISSS, UNEP, Laxenburg, Austria.

Arshad, M.A. y G.M. Coen. 1992. Characterization of soil quality: physical and chemical criteria. Am. J. Alternat. Agr. 7, 25-31. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0889189300004410

Arshad, M. y S. Martin. 2002. Identifying critical limits for soil quality indicators in agro-ecosystems. ‎Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 88, 153-160. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8809(01)00252-3

Astier, M., M. Maass y J. Etchevers. 2002. Derivación de indicadores de calidad de suelos en el contexto de la agricultura sustentable. Agrocienc. 36, 605-620.

Aziz, I., M. Ashraf, T. Mahmood, and K.R. Islam. 2011. Crop rotation impact on soil quality. Pak. J. Bot. 43(2), 949-960.

Bertini, S.C.B., L.C.B. Azevedo, I. de Carvalho Mendes y E.J.B.N. Cardoso. 2014. Hierarchical partitioning for selection of microbial and chemical indicators of soil quality. Pedobiol. 57(4-6), 293-301. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2014.06.001

Brejda, J.J., T.B. Moorman, D.L. Karlen y T.H. Dao. 2000. Identification of Regional Soil Quality Factors and Indicators. I. Central and Southern High Plains. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 64, 2115-2124. Doi: https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2000.6462115x

Cantú, M., A. Becker, J. Bedano y H. Schiavo. 2007. Evaluación de la calidad de suelos mediante el uso de indicadores e índices. Cienc. Suelo 25, 173-178.

Chappell, N.A., J.L. Ternan y K. Bidin. 1999. Correlation of physicochemical properties and sub-erosional landforms with aggregate stability variations in a tropical Ultisol disturbed by forestry operations. Soil Till. Res. 50, 55-71. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-1987(98)00196-2

Cruz, B., J.E. Barra, R.F. Castillo y C. Gutiérrez. 2004. La calidad del suelo y sus indicadores. Ecosist. 13, 90-97.

De la Rosa, D. y R. Sobral. 2008. Soil quality and methods for its assessment. Soil Sci. 167-200. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6778-5_9

Doran, J.W., D.C. Coleman, D.C. Bezdicek y B.A. Stewart. 1994. Defining and assessing soil quality for sustainable environment. Soil Science Society of America. Special Publication 35. Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

Farfán, F. y E. Hincapié. 2011. Valoración de la sostenibilidad ambiental mediante indicadores de calidad del suelo, en sistemas de producción de café en Colombia. Cenicafé 62(1), 100-118.

Franzluebbers, A.J. y M.A. Arshad. 1996. Water-stable aggregation and organic matter in four soils under conventional and zero tillage. Can. J. Soil Sci. 76, 387-393. Doi: https://doi.org/10.4141/cjss96-046

Fliebach, A., H.R. Oberholzer, L. Gunst y P. Mader. 2007. Soil organic matter and biological soil quality indicators after 21 years of organic and conventional farming. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ 118, 273-284. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2006.05.022

García, Y., W. Ramírez y S. Sánchez. 2012. Indicadores de la calidad de los suelos: una nueva manera de evaluar este recurso. Pastos Forrajes 35, 125-137.

García-Ruiz, R., V. Ochoa, B. Vi-egla, M.B. Hinojosa, R. Pe-a-Santiago, G. Liébanas, J. Linares y J.A. Carreira. 2009. Soil enzymes, nematode community and selected physico-chemical properties as soil quality indicators in organic and conventional olive oil farming: Influence of seasonality and site features. Appl. Soil Ecol. 41, 305-314. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.12.004

Giacometti, C., M.S. Demyan, L. Cavani, C. Marzadori, C. Ciavatta y E. Kandeler. 2013. Chemical and microbiological soil quality indicators and their potential to differentiate fertilization regimes in temperate agroecosystems. Appl. Soil Ecol. 64, 32-48. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.10.002

Govaerts, B., K.D. Sayre y J. Deckers. 2006. A minimum data set for soil quality assessment of wheat and maize cropping in the highlands of Mexico. Soil Till. Res. 87, 163-74. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2005.03.005

Hatten, J.A. y D. Zabowski. 2010. Fire severity effects on soil organic matter from a ponderosa pine forest: a laboratory study. Int. J. Wildland Fire 19, 613-623. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1071/WF08048

Hünnemeyer, J.A., R. De Camino y S. Müller. 1997. Análisis del desarrollo sostenible en centroamérica: Indicadores para la agricultura y los recursos naturales. IICA/GTZ, San José, Costa Rica.

Imaz, M.J., I. Virto, P. Bescansa, A. Enrique, O. Fernandez-Ugalde y D.L. Karlen. 2010. Soil quality indicator response to tillage and residue management on semi-arid Mediterranean cropland. Soil Till. Res. 107, 17-25. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2010.02.003

Jamioi, D.D., J.C. Menjivar y Y. Rubiano. 2015. Indicadores químicos de calidad de suelos en sistemas productivos del Piedemonte de los Llanos Orientales de Colombia. Acta Agron. 64(4), 302-307.

Karlen, D.L., S.S. Andrews, B.J. Weinhold y J.W. Doran. 2003. Soil quality: Humankind's foundation for survival. J. Soil Water Conserv. 58(4), 171-179.

Karlen, D.L., M.J. Mausbach, J.W. Doran, R.G. Cline, R.F. Harris y G.E. Schuman. 1997. Soil quality: a concept, definition, and framework for evaluation. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61, 4-10. Doi: https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1997.03615995006100010001x

Karlen, D.L., S.S. Andrews, B.J. Wienhold y T.M. Zobeck. 2008. Soil quality assessment: past, present and future. J. Int. Biosc. 6, 3-14.

Kennard, D.K. y H.L. Gholz. 2001. Effects of high- and low- intensity fires on soil properties and plant growth in a Bolivian dry forest. Plant Soil 234, 119-129. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010507414994

Khormali, F. y S. Shamsi. 2009. Micromorphology and quality attributes of the loess derived soils affected by land use change: A case study in Ghapan watershed, Northern Iran. J. Mt. Sci. 6, 197-204. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-009-1037-z

Lal, R. 1998. Soil quality and agricultural sustainability. Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, MI, USA.

Larson, W. E. y F.J. Pierce. 1991. Conservation and enhancement of soil quality. pp. 175-203. En: Evaluation for sustainable land management in the developing world. Vol. 2. IBSRAM Proc. 12(2). International Board for Soil Resources and Management. Bangkok, Tailandia.

Larson, W.E. y F.J. Pierce. 1994. The dynamics of soil quality as a measure of sustainable management. pp. 37-52. En: Coleman, D.C., D.F. Bezdicek y B.A. Stewart (eds.). Defining soil quality for a sustainable environment. Sol. Sci. Soc. Am., Special Publication No. 35. SSSA, Madison, WI, USA.

Lee, C.H., M.Y. Wu, V.B. Asio y Z.S. Chen. 2006. Using a soil quality index to assess the effects of applying swine manure compost on soil quality under a crop rotation system in Taiwan. Soil Sci. 171, 210-222. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ss.0000199700.78956.8c

Lentzsh, P., R. Wieland y S. Wirth. 2005. Application of multiple regression and neural network approaches for landscape-scale assessment of soil microbial biomass. Soil Biol. Biochem. 37, 1577-1580. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.01.017

Marinari, S., R. Mancinelli, E. Campiglia y S. Grego. 2006. Chemical and biological indicators of soil quality in organic and conventional farming systems in Central Italy. Ecol. Indic. 6(4), 701-711. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2005.08.029

Mubarak, A.R., O.M.E. Elshami y A.A. Azhari. 2005. Long- and short-term effects of cultivation on properties of a Vertisol under sugarcane plantation. Soil Till. Res. 84, 1-6. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.08.005

Neary, D.G., K.C. Ryan y L.F. DeBano. 2005. Wildland fire in ecosystems. Effects of fire on soil and water. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-42-vol 4, Ogden, UT, USA.

Okonkwo, C.I. 2010. Effect of burning and cultivation on soil properties and microbial population of four different land use systems in Abakaliki. Res. J. Agric. Biol. Sci. 6(6), 1007-1014.

Oliveira, S.P., D. Cândido, M.J. Weber, O.B. Xavier, F.A.S. Escobar y T.S. Oliveira. 2016. Conversion of forest into irrigated pasture I. Changes in the chemical and biological properties of the soil. Catena 137, 508-516. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2015.10.017

Parsons, A., P. Robichaud, S. Lewis, C. Napper y J. Clark. 2010. Field guide for mapping post-fire soil burn severity. USDA For. Serv. Gen .Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-243. Washington D.C., USA.

Parr, J.F. y R.I. Papendick. 1997. Soil quality: relationship and strategies for sustainable dryland farming system. Ann. Arid Zone 36, 181-191.

Puglisi, E., A.A.M. Del Re, M.A. Rao y L. Gianfreda. 2006. Development and validation of numerical indexes integrating enzyme activities of soils. Soil Biol. Biochem. 38, 1673-1681. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.11.021

Schoenholtz, S.H., H.V. Miegroet y J.A. Burger. 2000. A review of chemical and phys- ical properties as indicators of forest soil quality: challenges and opportunities. For. Ecol. Manag. 138, 335-356. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(00)00423-0

Sharma, K.L., U.K. Mandal, K. Srinivas, K.P.R. Vittal, B. Mandal, J.K. Grace y V. Ramesh. 2005. Long-term soil management effects on crop yields and soil quality in a dryland Alfisol. Soil Till. Res. 83, 246-259. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.08.002

Shukla, M.K., R. Lal y M. Ebinger. 2006. Determining soil quality indicators by factor analysis. Soil Till. Res. 87, 194-204. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2005.03.011

Shukla, M.K., R. Lal y M. Ebinger. 2004. Soil quality indicators for reclaimed minesoils in southeastern Ohio. Soil Sci. 169, 133-142. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ss.0000117785.98510.0f

Soil Quality Institute (SQI). 1996. Indicators for soil quality evaluation. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington D.C., USA.

Tóth, G., V. Stolbovoy y L. Montanarella. 2007. Soil Quality and sustainability evaluation - An integrated approach to support soil-related policies of the European Union. Eur 22721. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg.

Úbeda, X. y L. Outeiro. 2009. Physical and chemical effects of fire on soil. pp. 105-132. En: Cerdà, A. y P.R. Robichaud (eds.). Fire effects on soils and restoration strategies. Science Publishers, Estfield, NH, USA. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781439843338-c4

Vega, J.A., T. Fontúrbel, A. Merino, C. Fernández, A. Ferreiro y E. Jiménez. 2013. Testing the ability of visual indicators of soil burn severity to reflect changes in soil chemical and microbial properties in pine forests and shrubland. Plant Soil 369(1-2), 73-91. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1532-9

Visser, S. y D. Parkinson. 1992. Soil biological criteria as indicators of soil quality. Soil Microorg. 7, 25-31.

Vose, J.M., W.T. Swank, B.D. Clinton, J.D. Knoepp y L.W. Swift. 1999. Using stand replacement fires to restore southern Appalachian pine-hardwood ecosystems: effects on mass, carbon, and nutrient pools. For Ecol. Manag. 114, 215-226. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(98)00352-1

Yao, R., J. Yang, P. Gao, J. Zhang y W. Jin. 2013. Determining minimum data set for soil quality assessment of typical salt-affected farmland in the coastal reclamation area. Soil Till. Res. 128, 137-148. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2012.11.007

Zornoza, R., J. Mataix-Solera, C. Guerrero, V. Arcenegui, F. García-Orenes, J. Mataix-Beneyto y A. Morugán. 2007. Evaluation of soil quality using multiple lineal regression based on physical, chemical and biochemical properties. Sci. Total Environ. 378(1-2), 233-237. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.01.052

Determinación de la calidad del suelo mediante indicadores químicos en naranja Valencia.  Foto: H. Velásquez

Published

2018-01-06

How to Cite

Gutiérrez D., J. S., Cardona, W. A., & Monsalve C., O. I. (2018). Potential for the use of chemical properties as indicators of soil quality. A review. Revista Colombiana De Ciencias Hortícolas, 11(2), 450–458. https://doi.org/10.17584/rcch.2017v11i2.5719

Issue

Section

Review articles

Metrics