How to measure soil quality? A case study conducted on cropland in the Czech Republic

Lenka Pavlů, Jiří Balík, Simona Procházková, Ivana Galušková and Luboš Borůvka
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Jiří Balík: Department of Agroenvironmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Simona Procházková: Department of Agroenvironmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Ivana Galušková: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Luboš Borůvka: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

Soil and Water Research, 2024, vol. 19, issue 4, 229-243

Abstract: This work presents the advantages and risks of selected soil quality criteria using data from the monitoring of agricultural soils in the Czech Republic. Soil samples were taken from 71 sites covering various soil types. Basic soil parameters and mid-infrared spectra were measured. Indicators describing the quality of soil organic matter (SOM), and soil were calculated. The results show that soil types differ significantly in the qualitative indicators of soil organic matter. More acidic soils with lower clay content contain lower proportions of aromatic and higher proportions of aliphatic organic compounds than neutral soils with higher clay particles content. These soils differ little in total carbon content and C/N ratio but considerably in C/clay ratio. Cambisols are the least degraded soils in the Czech Republic in terms of C/clay ratio, which is controversial in many respects. The results indicate that more aliphatic organic matter is important for the SOM content in the upper part of the agricultural soil, and more aromatic organic matter is mainly bound to the clay fraction. The results raise questions about the suitability of uniform C/clay target values proposed in European legislation as a criterion for assessing soil degradation due to carbon loss.

Keywords: agricultural soils; infrared spectroscopy; soil organic carbon; soil texture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:19:y:2024:i:4:id:118-2024-swr

DOI: 10.17221/118/2024-SWR

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