Articles | Volume 12, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-545-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-545-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| 
28 Apr 2026
Original research article |
| 28 Apr 2026
| 28 Apr 2026
Soil health approaches to assess the impacts of no-tillage with agricultural terraces in southern Brazil
Ariane Lentice de Paula
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Luis Miguel Schiebelbein
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Regiane Kazmierczak Becker
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Eduardo Augusto Agnellos Barbosa
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Fabrício Tondello Barbosa
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Carolina Weigert Galvão
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Rafael Mazer Etto
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Heverton Fernando Melo
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Adriel Ferreira da Fonseca
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Neyde Fabiola Balarezo Giarola
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
Cited articles
Acosta-Martínez, V., Cruz, L., Sotomayor-Ramírez, D., and Pérez-Alegría, L.: Enzyme activities as affected by soil properties and land use in a tropical watershed, Appl. Soil Ecol., 35, 35–45, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2006.05.012, 2007.
Alvares, C. A., Stape, J. L., Sentelhas, P. C., Gonçalves, J. L. M., and Sparovek, G.: Köppen's climate classification map for Brazil, Meteorol. Z., 22, 711–728, https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0507, 2013.
Andrews, S. S. and Carroll, C. R.: Designing a soil quality assessment tool for sustainable agroecosystem management, Ecol. Appl., 11, 1573–1585, 2001.
Andrews, S. S., Mitchell, J. P., Mancinelli, R., Karlen, D. L., Hartz, T. K., Horwath, W. R., Pettygrove, G. S., Scow, K. M., and Munk, D. S.: On-farm assessment of soil quality in California's Central Valley, Agron. J., 94, 12–23, 2002.
Andrews, S. S., Karlen, D. L., and Cambardella, C.: The Soil Management Assessment Framework: A Quantitative Soil Quality Evaluation Method, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 68, 1945–1962, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2009.0029, 2004.
Arshad, M. A., Lowery, B., and Grossman, B.: Physical tests for monitoring soil quality, in: Methods for Assessing Soil Quality, edited by: Doran, J. W. and Jones, A. J., SSSA Spec. Publ. 49, SSSA, 123–141, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaspecpub49.c7, 1997.
Bach, C. L., Nesi, C. N., Taffarel, E., and Chiapinotto, I. C.: Metodologia para estimativa de produtividade em lavouras de milho, trigo, soja e feijão, Epagri, Florianópolis, ISSN 1413-960X, 2020.
Banerjee, S. and van der Heijden, M. G. A.: Soil microbiomes and one health, Nat. Rev. Microbiol., 21, 6–20, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00779-w, 2023.
Barrios, E.: Soil biota, ecosystem services and land productivity, Ecol. Econ., 64, 269–285, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2007.03.004, 2007.
Becker, R. K., Giarola, N. F. B., de Paula, A. L., Schiebelbein, B. E., and da Luz, F. B.: Soil health assessment in Brazilian subtropical Oxisol under land use and long-term tillage systems, Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol., 67, https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4324-pssm-2024230789, 2024.
Becker, R. K., Galvão, C. W., Etto, R. M., Hyeda, D., de Paula, A. L., Schiebelbein, L. M., and Giarola, N. F. B.: Assessing the impact of soil use and management systems on soil health in Southern Brazil, Geoderma Reg., 40, e00932, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00932, 2025.
Bernoux, M., Feller, C., Cerri, C. C., Eschenbrenner, V., and Cerri, C. E. P.: Soil carbon sequestration, Soil Eros. Carb. Dynam., 13–22, https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203491935-3, 2005.
Bünemann, E. K., Bongiorno, G., Bai, Z., Creamer, R. E., de Deyn, G., Goede, R., Fleskens, L., Geissen, V., Kuyper, T. W., Mäder, P., Pulleman, M., Sukkel, W., Van Groenigen, J. W., and Brussaard, L.: Soil quality – A critical review, Soil Biol. Biochem., 120, 105–125, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.01.030, 2018.
Cardoso, E. J. B. N., Vasconcellos, R. L. F., Bini, D., Miyauchi, M. Y. H., Santos, C. A., Alves, P. R. L., Paula, A. M., Nakatani, A. S., Pereira, J. M., and Nogueira, M. A.: Soil health: looking for suitable indicators. What should be considered to assess the effects of use and management on soil health?, Sci. Agric., 70, 274–289, https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-90162013000400009, 2013.
Cherubin, M. R., Karlen, D. L., Cerri, C. E. P., Franco, A. L. C., Tormena, C. A., Davies, C. A., and Cerri, C. C.: Soil quality indexing strategies for evaluating sugarcane expansion in Brazil, PLoS One, 11, e0150860, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0150860, 2016a.
Cherubin, M. R., Karlen, D. L., Franco, A. L. C., Cerri, C. E. P., Tormena, C. A., and Cerri, C. C.: A Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) evaluation of Brazilian sugarcane expansion on soil quality, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 80, 215–226, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2015.09.0328, 2016b.
Cherubin, M. R., Tormena, C. A., and Karlen, D. L.: Soil quality evaluation using the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) in Brazilian Oxisols with contrasting texture, Rev. Bras. Cienc. Solo., 41, e0160148, https://doi.org/10.1590/18069657rbcs20160148, 2017.
Cherubin, M. R., Bordonal, R. O., Castioni, G. A., Guimarães, E. M., Lisboa, I. P., Moraes, L. A. A., Menandro, L. M. S., Tenelli, S., Cerri, C. E. P., Karlen, D. L., and Carvalho, J. L. N.: Soil health response to sugarcane straw removal in Brazil, Ind. Crops Prod., 163, 113315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.113315, 2021.
Deng, S. and Popova, I.: Carbohydrate hydrolases, in: Methods of Soil Enzymology, edited by: Dick, R. P., Soil Science Society of America, Madison, 185–209, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser9.c9, 2011.
Derpsch, L., Friedrich, T., Kassam, A., and Hongwen, L.: Current status of adoption of no-till farming in the world and some of its main benefits, Int. J. Agric. Biol. Eng., 3, 1–25, 2010.
Doran, J. W. and Zeiss, M. R.: Soil health and sustainability: managing the biotic component of soil quality, Appl. Soil Ecol., 15, 3–11, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0929-1393(00)00067-6, 2000.
Doran, J. W., Sarrantonio, M., and Liebig, M. A.: Soil health and sustainability, Adv. Agron., 56, 1–54, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2113(08)60178-9, 1996.
FAO: Status of the World's Soil Resources, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, ISBN 978-92-5-109004-6, 2015.
Fuentes-Guevara, M. D., Spliethoff, J., Camilo, E. L., Neto, E. G., Olanik, C., Pacheco, A. A., Ferreira, R., Rampim, L., Müller, M. M. L., and Pott, C. A.: Mixture of winter cover crops reduces surface runoff and sediment production under no-tillage system for Oxisols, Land Degrad. Dev., 35, 2145–2156, https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5050, 2024.
Fuentes-Llanillo, R., Telles, T. S., Soares Junior, D., Melo, T. R., Friedrich, T., and Kassam, A.: Expansion of no-tillage practice in conservation agriculture in Brazil, Soil Till. Res., 208, 104877, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2020.104877, 2021.
Gattinger, A., Muller, A., Haeni, M., Skinner, C., Fliessbach, A., Buchmann, N., Mäder, P., Stolze, M., Smith, P., Scialabba, N. E.-H., and Niggli, U.: Enhanced top soil carbon stocks under organic farming, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 109, 18226–18231, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1209429109, 2012.
Gomiero, T., Pimentel, D., and Paoletti, M. G.: Environmental impact of different agricultural management practices: Conventional vs. organic agriculture, Crit. Rev. Plant Sci., 30, 95–124, https://doi.org/10.1080/07352689.2011.554355, 2011.
Gu, L., Kong, J., Chen, K., and Guo, Y.-Q.: Monitoring soil biological properties during the restoration of a phosphate mine under different tree species and plantation types, Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safe., 180, 130–138, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.05.001, 2019.
Hamza, M. A. and Anderson, W. K.: Soil compaction in cropping systems: A review of the nature, causes and possible solutions, Soil Till. Res., 82, 121–145, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.08.009, 2005.
Hartmann, M., Frey, B., Mayer, J., Mäder, P., and Widmer, F.: Distinct soil microbial diversity under long-term organic and conventional farming, ISME J., 9, 1177–1194, https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2014.210, 2015.
Hemmati, S., Yaghmaeian, N., Farhangi, M. B., and Sabouri, A.: Soil quality assessment of paddy fields (in Northern Iran) with different productivities: establishing the critical limits of minimum data set indicators, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 30, 10286–10296, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22846-8, 2022.
Jimenez, L. C. Z., Queiroz, H. M., Cherubin, M. R., and Ferreira, T. O.: Applying the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) to assess mangrove soil quality, Sustainability, 14, 3085, https://doi.org/10.3390/su14053085, 2022.
Jolliffe, I. T.: Principal Component Analysis, in: 2nd Edn., Springer Series in Statistics, Springer, New York, ISBN 0-387-95442-2, 2002.
Jolliffe, I. T. and Cadima, J.: Principal component analysis: a review and recent developments, Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc. A, 374, 20150202, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2015.0202, 2016.
Karlen, D. L. and Stott, D. E.: A framework for evaluating physical and chemical indicators of soil quality, in: Defining Soil Quality for a Sustainable Environment, edited by: Doran, J. W., Coleman, D. C., Bezdicek, D. F., Stewart, B. A., SSSA, Madison, USA, 53–72, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaspecpub35.c4, 1994.
Lal, R.: Soil degradation as a reason for inadequate human nutrition, Food Secur., 1, 45–57, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-009-0009-z, 2009.
Lal, R.: Soil erosion and gaseous emissions, Appl. Sci., 10, 2784, https://doi.org/10.3390/app10082784, 2020.
Lê, S., Josse, J., and Husson, F.: FactoMineR: An R package for multivariate analysis, J. Stat. Softw., 25, https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v025.i01, 2008.
Libardi, P. L.: Dinâmica da água no solo, Universidade Estadual de São Paulo, São Paulo, ISBN 978-8531413841, 2012.
Lima, A. Y. V., Cherubin, M. R., da Silva, D. F., Mota, J. C. A., Silva, F. G. M., de Araujo, A. S. F., Melo, V. M. M., Verma, J. P., and de Araujo Pereira, A. P.: Grazing exclusion restores soil health in Brazilian drylands under desertification process, Appl. Soil Ecol., 193, 105107, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2023.105107, 2024.
Lisboa, I. P., Cherubin, M. R., Satiro, L. S., Siqueira-Neto, M., Lima, R. P., Gmach, M. R., Wienhold, B. J., Schmer, M. R., Jin, V. L., Cerri, C. C., and Cerri, C. E. P.: Applying Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) on short-term sugarcane straw removal in Brazil, Ind. Crops Prod., 129, 175–184, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2018.12.004, 2019.
Lopes, A. A. C., Sousa, D. M., Chaer, G. M., Reis Junior, F. B., Goedert, W. J., and Mendes, I. C.: Interpretation of microbial soil indicators as a function of crop yield and organic carbon, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 77, 461–472, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2012.0191, 2013.
Lori, M., Symnaczik, S., Mäder, P., De Deyn, G., and Gattinger, A.: Organic farming enhances soil microbial abundance and activity – a meta-analysis and meta-regression, PLoS One, 12, e0180442, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180442, 2017.
Luz, F. B., Silva, V. R., Mallmann, F. J. K., Pires, C. A. B., Debiasi, H., Franchini, J. C., and Cherubin, M. R.: Monitoring soil quality changes in diversified agricultural cropping systems by the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) in southern Brazil, Agr. Ecosyst. Environ., 281, 100–110, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2019.05.006, 2019.
Manly, B. F. J.: Métodos estatísticos multivariados: uma introdução, in: 3rd Edn., Bookman, Porto Alegre, ISBN 978-8577801855, 2008.
Marion, L. F., Schneider, R., Cherubin, M. R., Colares, G. S., Wiesel, P. G., da Costa, A. B., and Lobo, E. A.: Development of a soil quality index to evaluate agricultural cropping systems in southern Brazil, Soil Till. Res., 218, 105293, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2021.105293, 2022.
Martín-Sanz, J. P., de Santiago-Martín, A., Valverde-Asenjo, I., Quintana-Nieto, J. R., González-Huecas, C., and López-Lafuente, A. L.: Comparison of soil quality indices calculated by network and principal component analysis for carbonated soils under different uses, Ecol. Indic., 143, 109374, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109374, 2022.
Masto, R. E., Chhonkar, P. K., Singh, D., and Patra, A. K.: Changes in soil quality indicators under long-term sewage irrigation in a sub-tropical environment, Environ. Geol., 56, 1237–1243, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1223-2, 2008.
Matos, P. S., Cherubin, M. R., Damian, J. M., Rocha, F. I., Pereira, M. G., and Zonta, E.: Short-term effects of agroforestry systems on soil health in Southeastern Brazil, Agroforest. Syst., 96, 897–908, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-022-00749-4, 2022.
Mendes, I. C., Chaer, G. M., Reis Junior, F. B., Sousa, D. M. G., Silva, O. D. D., Oliveira, M. I., and Malaquias, J. V.: Tecnologia BioAS: uma maneira simples e eficiente de avaliar a saúde do solo, Embrapa Cerrados, Documentos 369, Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina, DF, ISSN 1517-5111, 2021a.
Mendes, I. C., Sousa, D. M. G., Dantas, O. D., Lopes, A. A. C., Reis Junior, F. B., Oliveira, M. I., and Chaer, G. M.: Soil quality and grain yield: A win–win combination in clayey tropical oxisols, Geoderma, 388, 114880, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114880, 2021b.
Mendes, I. C., Chaer, G. M., Reis-Junior, F. B., Dantas, O. D., Malaquias, J. V., Oliveira, M. I. L., Nogueira, M. A., and Hungria, M.: Soil Bioanalysis (SoilBio): A Sensitive, Calibrated, and Simple Assessment of Soil Health for Brazil, in: Soil Health and Sustainable Agriculture in Brazil, Vol. 03, edited by: Mendes, I. C. and Cherubin, M. R., SSSA and Wiley, Madison, 292–326, https://doi.org/10.1002/9780891187448.ch10, 2024.
Merten, G. H., Araújo, A. G., Biscaia, R. C. M., Barbosa, G. M. C., and Conte, O.: No-till surface runoff and soil losses in southern Brazil, Soil Till. Res., 152, 85–93, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2015.03.014, 2015.
Mukherjee, A. and Lal, R.: Comparison of soil quality index using three methods, PLoS One, 9, e105981, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0105981, 2014.
Navas, M., Benito, M., Rodríguez, I., and Masaguer, A.: Effect of five forage legume covers on soil quality at the Eastern plains of Venezuela, Appl. Soil Ecol., 49, 242–249, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2011.04.017, 2011.
Nunes, M. R., Veum, K. S., Parker, P. A., Holan, S. H., Karlen, D. L., Amsili, J. P., Van Es, H. M., Wills, S. A., Seybold, C. A., and Moorman, T. B.: The soil health assessment protocol and evaluation applied to soil organic carbon, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 85, 1196–1213, https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20244, 2021.
Obade, V. P., Lal, R., and Moore, R.: Assessing the accuracy of soil and water quality characterization using remote sensing, Water Resour. Manage., 28, 5091–5109, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-014-0796-7, 2014.
Panagos, P., Borrelli, P., Poesen, J., Ballabio, C., Lugato, E., Meusburger, K., Montanarella, L., and Alewell, C.: The new assessment of soil loss by water erosion in Europe, Environ. Sci. Policy, 54, 438–447, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2015.08.012, 2015.
Pavinato, P. S., Pauletti, V., Motta, A. C. V., and Moreira, A.: Manual de adubação e calagem para o estado do Paraná, SBCS/NEPAR, Curitiba, PR, ISBN 978-85-69146-04-9, 2017.
Pereira, A. P. A., Cherubin, M. R., de Araujo, A. S. F., Santana, M. C., de Medeiros, E. V., da Costa, D. P., de Souza, A. J., Lima, A. Y. V., da Silva, D. F., Estrada, P. A. C., Mendes, L. W., Verma, J. P., Koutika, L. S., and Cardoso, E. J. B. N.: Soil Quality Evaluation in Mono and Mixed Eucalypt Plantation, Sustainability, 16, 2534, https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062534, 2024.
Possamai, E. J., Conceição, P. C., Amadori, C., Bartz, M. L. C., Ralisch, R., Vicensi, M., and Marx, E. F.: Adoption of the no-tillage system in Paraná State: A (re)view, Rev. Bras. Ciênc. Solo., 46, https://doi.org/10.36783/18069657rbcs20210104, 2022.
R Development Core Team: R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing, https://www.r-project.org/ (last access: 30 March 2026), 2023.
Reichert, J. M., Reinert, D. J., and Braida, J. A.: Qualidade dos solos e sustentabilidade de sistemas agrícolas, Ciênc. Ambiente, 27, 29–48, 2003.
Reintam, E., Trükmann, K., Kuht, J., Nugis, E., Edesi, L., Astover, A., Noormets, M., Kauer, K., Krebstein, K., and Rannik, K.: Soil compaction effects on soil bulk density and penetration resistance and growth of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), Acta Agric. Scand. Sect. B, 59, 265–272, https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710802030070, 2009.
Reynolds, W. D., Bowman, B. T., Drury, C. F., Tan, C. S., and Lu, X.: Indicators of good soil physical quality: density and storage parameters, Geoderma, 110, 131–146, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0016-7061(02)00228-8, 2002.
Reynolds, W. D., Drury, C. F., Yang, X. M., Fox, C. A., Tan, C. S., and Zhang, T. Q.: Land management effects on the near-surface physical quality of a clay loam soil, Soil Till. Res., 96, 316–330, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2007.07.003, 2007.
Rinot, O., Levy, G. J., Steinberger, Y., Svoray, T., and Eshel, G.: Soil health assessment: a critical review of current methodologies and a proposed new approach, Sci. Total Environ., 648, 1484–1491, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.259, 2019.
Rossi, J.-P., Franc, A., and Rousseau, G. X.: Indicating soil quality and the GISQ, Soil Biol. Biochem., 41, 444–445, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2008.10.004, 2009.
Ruiz, F., Cherubin, M. R., and Ferreira, T. O.: Soil quality assessment of constructed Technosols: Towards the validation of a promising strategy for land reclamation, waste management and the recovery of soil functions, J. Environ. Manage., 276, 111344, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111344, 2020.
Santos, H. G., Jacomine, P. K. T., dos Anjos, L. H. C., de Oliveira, V. Á., Lumbreras, J. F., Coelho, M. R., de Almeida, J. A., Cunha, T. J. F., and de Oliveira, J. B.: Sistema brasileiro de classificação de solos, 5. ed., rev. e ampl., Embrapa, Brasília, DF, ISBN 978-85-7035-800-4, 2018.
Shukla, M. K., Lal, R., and Ebinger, M.: Determining soil quality indicators by factor analysis, Soil Till. Res., 87, 194–204, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2005.03.011, 2006.
Simon, C. P., Gomes, T. F., Pessoa, T. N., Soltangheisi, A., Bieluczyk, W., Camargo, P. B., Martinelli, L. A., and Cherubin, M. R.: Soil quality literature in Brazil: A systematic review, Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo, 46, e021030, https://doi.org/10.36783/18069657rbcs20210103, 2022.
Soil Survey Staff: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Department of Agriculture, Washington, USA, ISBN 978-0359573240, 2014.
Stott, D. E., Andrews, S. S., Liebig, M. A., Wienhold, B. J., and Karlen, D. L.: Evaluation of β-glucosidase activity as a soil quality indicator for the Soil Management Assessment Framework, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 74, 107–119, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2009.0029, 2010.
Tabatabai, M. A. and Bremner, J. M.: Arylsulfatase activity of soils, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 34, 225–229, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1970.03615995003400020016x, 1970.
Telles, T. S., Lourenço, M. A. P., Oliveira, J. F., Costa, G. V., and Barbosa, G. M. C.: Soil conservation practices in a watershed in Southern Brazil, An. Acad. Bras. Cienc., 91, https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201920180578, 2019.
Thomaz, E. L. and Kurasz, J. P.: Long term of soil carbon stock in no-till system affected by a rolling landscape in Southern Brazil, Soil Syst., 7, 60, https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems7020060, 2023.
Tuck, S. L., Winqvist, C., Mota, F., Ahnström, J., Turnbull, L. A., and Bengtsson, J.: Land-use intensity and the effects of organic farming on biodiversity: a hierarchical meta-analysis, J. Appl. Ecol., 51, 746–755, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12219, 2014.
USDA – United States Department of Agriculture: Soil health, United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington, D.C., https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/natural-resource-concerns/soils/soil-health (last access: 20 July 2023), 2023.
Walder, F., Büchi, L., Wagg, C., Colombi, T., Banerjee, S., Hirte, J., Mayer, J., Six, J., Keller, T., and Charles, R.: Synergism between production and soil health through crop diversification, organic amendments and crop protection in wheat-based systems, J. Appl. Ecol., 60, 2091–2104, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14484, 2023.
Wen, X., Zhen, L., Jiang, Q., and Xiao, Y.: A global review of the development and application of soil erosion control techniques, Environ. Res. Lett., 18, 033003, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acbaac, 2023.
Wienhold, B. J., Karlen, D. L., Andrews, S. S., and Stott, D. E.: Protocol for indicator scoring in the soil management assessment framework (SMAF), Renew. Agricult. Food Syst., 24, 260–266, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170509990093, 2009.
Wymore, A. W.: Model-based systems engineering: An introduction to the mathematical theory of discrete systems and to the tricotyledon theory of system design, CRC Press, Boca Raton, ISBN 978-0849380129, 1993.
Yu, P., Liu, J., Tang, H., Sun, X., Liu, S., Tang, X., Ding, Z., Ma, M., and Ci, E.: Establishing a soil quality index to evaluate soil quality after afforestation in a karst region of Southwest China, Catena, 230, 107237, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2023.107237, 2023.
Short summary
This study evaluated soil health in an area under no-tillage with terraces, using four approaches to develop the indices: principal component analysis, expert opinion, the soil fertility and biology approach based on the Soil Bioanalysis framework, and Soil Management Assessment Framework. The results showed that the expert opinion and soil fertility and biology approaches were more sensitive to identify differences in soil health, and crop productivity was associated with soil health.
This study evaluated soil health in an area under no-tillage with terraces, using four...
