Assessment of Soil Quality of Smallholder Agroecosystems in the Semiarid Region of Northeastern Brazil

Rodrigo Santana Macedo, Renato Pereira Lima, Kalline de Almeida Alves Carneiro, Letícia Moro, Daiana Caroline Refati, Milton Cesar Costa Campos (), Raphael Moreira Beirigo, Gislayne Kayne Gomes da Cruz, Antonio Augusto Pereira de Sousa, José Félix de Brito Neto, Josivânia Araújo Duarte and Deibson Teixeira da Costa
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Rodrigo Santana Macedo: Technology and Science Center, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Paraíba, Brazil
Renato Pereira Lima: Semi Arid National Institute, Campina Grande 58429-970, Paraíba, Brazil
Kalline de Almeida Alves Carneiro: Semi Arid National Institute, Campina Grande 58429-970, Paraíba, Brazil
Letícia Moro: Semi Arid National Institute, Campina Grande 58429-970, Paraíba, Brazil
Daiana Caroline Refati: Semi Arid National Institute, Campina Grande 58429-970, Paraíba, Brazil
Milton Cesar Costa Campos: Department of Soil and Rural Engineering, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, Areia 58397-000, Paraíba, Brazil
Raphael Moreira Beirigo: Department of Soil and Rural Engineering, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, Areia 58397-000, Paraíba, Brazil
Gislayne Kayne Gomes da Cruz: Department of Agroecology and Agriculture, State University of Paraíba, Lagoa Seca 58117-000, Paraíba, Brazil
Antonio Augusto Pereira de Sousa: Technology and Science Center, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Paraíba, Brazil
José Félix de Brito Neto: Department of Agroecology and Agriculture, State University of Paraíba, Lagoa Seca 58117-000, Paraíba, Brazil
Josivânia Araújo Duarte: Department of Agroecology and Agriculture, State University of Paraíba, Lagoa Seca 58117-000, Paraíba, Brazil
Deibson Teixeira da Costa: Department of Agroecology and Agriculture, State University of Paraíba, Lagoa Seca 58117-000, Paraíba, Brazil

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: The assessment of soil quality is crucial for the sustainable development of agriculture in semiarid regions. Due to their sensitivity to management practices, soil chemical and physical quality indicators are used for investigating soil quality. This study aimed to assess the soil quality of smallholder agroecosystems from the Brazilian semiarid region. Soil physical and chemical attributes were screened using principal component analysis (PCA) and integrated into a weighted additive soil quality index (SQI). Soil quality was obtained using linear and non-linear scoring methods, a total data set (TDS), and a minimum data set (MDS). The soil quality of the agroecosystems was designated as being of moderate grade. The MDS for soil quality assessment includes cation exchange capacity, C stock, exchangeable sodium percentage, flocculation degree, pH, electrical conductivity, available P, and K + from twenty-five indicators of the TDS. This MDS mainly reflects the input of manure and crop residues associated with moderate weathering of easily weatherable minerals given the semiarid conditions. The SQI obtained can be used to synthesize the information of the TDS and is a valuable tool to indicate the soil quality of agroecosystems; thereby, it can be used with indicators of sustainable management for application at a regional scale.

Keywords: soil physical and chemical indicators; minimum data set; agroecosystems services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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