Towards a minimum data set to assess soil organic matter quality in agricultural soils

TLDR

Soil quality, a composite measure of a soil’s functional capacity and performance relative to a specific use, is assessed using a minimum data set that includes attributes such as texture, organic matter, pH, bulk density, and rooting depth, with soil organic matter influencing many soil properties. The review seeks to assess soil organic matter as a key indicator of overall soil quality and to argue for its inclusion in minimum data sets, treating it as a set of attributes rather than a single entity. The authors identify a suite of attributes—including total organic carbon and nitrogen, light fraction and macroorganic matter, mineralizable carbon and nitrogen, microbial biomass, soil carbohydrates, and enzymes—that influence nutrient storage, biological activity, and soil structure, and can be used to construct minimum data sets for evaluating soil organic matter quality. Keywords: Biological activity, minimum data set, nutrient storage, soil organic matter, soil quality, soil structure.

Abstract

Soil quality is a composite measure of both a soil’s ability to function and how well it functions, relative to a specific use. Soil quality can be assessed using a minimum data set comprising soil attributes such as texture, organic matter, pH, bulk density, and rooting depth. Soil organic matter has particular significance for soil quality as it can influence many different soil properties including other attributes of the minimum data set. Assessment of soil organic matter is a valuable step towards identifying the overall quality of a soil and may be so informative as to be included in minimum data sets used to evaluate the world’s soils.In this review, soil organic matter is considered to encompass a set of attributes rather than being a single entity. Included among the attributes and discussed here are total soil organic carbon and nitrogen, light fraction and macroorganic (particulate) matter, mineralizable carbon and nitrogen, microbial biomass, soil carbohydrates and enzymes. These attributes are involved in various soil processes, such as those related to nutrient storage, biological activity, and soil structure, and can be used to establish different minimum data sets for the evaluation of soil organic matter quality. Key words: Biological activity, minimum data set, nutrient storage, soil organic matter, soil quality, soil structure