A functional evaluation of three indicator sets for assessing soil quality

Lima, A.C.R.; Brussaard, L.; Totola, M.R.; Hoogmoed, W.B.; de Goede, R.G.M.

doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.12.009

Cited by 196Soil Management and Crop YieldSoil Science and Environmental ManagementSustainable Agricultural Systems Analysis

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A functional evaluation of three indicator sets for assessing soil quality

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Lima, A.C.R., Brussaard, L., Totola, M.R., Hoogmoed, W.B., de Goede, R.G.M.·2013·Applied Soil Ecology

DOI 10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.12.009

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Abstract

Efforts to define and quantify soil quality are not new, but establishing consensus about a set of standardized indicators remains difficult. Also, the view of land managers is usually not taken into account when evaluating various sets of indicators. Our objective was to compare, in functional terms, soil quality assessments based on 29 indicators, a subset with 8 of those indicators, and 4 indicators selected independently by farmers, based on their perceptions of soil quality. The assessments were made for three different rice management systems in Camaquã, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, on soils of four soil textural classes based on clay content (<200, 200–400, 400–600, or >600gkg−1). The effects of land management practices on soil functions (water infiltration, storage and supply; nutrient storage, supply and cycling; and sustained biological activity) were evaluated. Soil quality was best assessed using the entire set of 29 indicators, but use of smaller indicator sets showed the same trends among management systems, textural classes, and soil functions, thus providing meaningful information on soil quality for land managers.

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Volchko, Y., Norrman, J., Rosén, L., & Norberg, T. (2014) · Journal of Soils and Sediments · doi:10.1007/s11368-014-0939-8 · Cited by 36
“There is however no unified minimum data set (MDS) for soil function assessment, because each function of interest may demand different sets of SQIs sensitive to soil management (Lima et al. 2013).”
BackgroundMethod
A Review of Farmland Soil Health Assessment Methods: Current Status and a Novel Approach
Hussain, Z., Deng, L., Wang, X., Cui, R., & Liu, G. (2022) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su14159300 · Cited by 35
The assessment of soil quality of various age of land reclamation after coal mining: a chronosequence study
Noviyanto, A., Purwanto, P. B., Minardi, S., & Supriyadi, S. (2017) · Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management · doi:10.15243/jdmlm.2017.051.1009 · Cited by 33
“The chosen indicators represent the whole data (Lima et al., 2013).”
BackgroundMethodInfluential
Development of a Soil Quality Index for Soils under Different Agricultural Management Conditions in the Central Lowlands of Mexico: Physicochemical, Biological and Ecophysiological Indicators
Bedolla-Rivera, H. I., Negrete-Rodríguez, M. D. L. L. X., Medina-Herrera, M. D. R., Gámez-Vázquez, F. P., Bernal, D. Á., Samaniego-Hernández, M., Gámez-Vázquez, A. J., & Conde-Barajas, E. (2020) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su12229754 · Cited by 32
Multiple soil quality assessment methods for evaluating effects of organic fertilization in wheat-maize rotation system
Li, K., & Wang, C. (2023) · European Journal of Agronomy · doi:10.1016/j.eja.2023.126929 · Cited by 30
Building a quality index for soils impacted by proximity to an industrial complex using statistical and data-mining methods
Ciarkowska, K., & Gambuś, F. (2020) · The Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140161 · Cited by 30
Restoring soil quality and carbon sequestration potential of waterlogged saline land using subsurface drainage technology to achieve land degradation neutrality in India
Mukhopadhyay, R., Fagodiya, R. K., Narjary, B., Barman, A., Prajapat, K., Kumar, S., Bundela, D. S., & Sharma, P. C. (2023) · The Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163959 · Cited by 30
Qualidade física de Latossolo Amarelo de tabuleiros costeiros em diferentes sistemas de manejo da cana-de-açúcar
de Vasconcelos, R. F. B., de Souza, E. R., Cantalice, J. R. B., & Silva, L. S. (2014) · Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental · doi:10.1590/s1415-43662014000400004 · Cited by 30
Assessment of Horizantal and Vertical Variabilities of Soil Quality using Multivariate Statistics and Geostatistical Methods
Sağlam, M., Dengız, O., & Saygın, F. (2015) · Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis · doi:10.1080/00103624.2015.1045596 · Cited by 29
“…of SQ indicators, three types [type S (SSF1), type reverse S (SSF2), and type parabola (SFF3) equality] of SSFs are generally selected (Karlen et al. 1994; Hussain et al. 1999; Glover, Reganold, and Andrews 2000; Fernandes et al. 2011; Liu et al. 2013; Li et al. 2013; Lima et al. 2013).”
BackgroundMethod
Using Soil Survey Database to Assess Soil Quality in the Heterogeneous Taihang Mountains, North China
Geng, S., Shi, P., Zong, N., & Zhu, W. (2018) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su10103443 · Cited by 28
“Soil quality evaluation based on the total data set (TDS) of soil properties includes more information and results in a more comprehensive and accurate outcome if data are accessible [8,9,21].”
Background
Microbiological and faunal soil attributes of coffee cultivation under different management systems in Brazil
Lammel, D. R., Azevedo, L. C. B., de Paula, A. M., de Armas, R. D., Baretta, D., & Cardoso, E. J. B. N. (2015) · Brazilian Journal of Biology · doi:10.1590/1519-6984.02414 · Cited by 27
“Information about best management practices for sustainable crop production is scarce, and the priority should focus on which management systems can sustain or improve the physical, chemical and biological attributes of the soil (Bhardwaj et al., 2011; Lima et al., 2013; Doran and Zeiss, 2000).”
Background
Farmer and scientific knowledge of soil quality: a social ecological soil systems approach
Bicalho, A. M. D. S. M., & Peixoto, R. T. D. G. (2016) · BELGEO · doi:10.4000/belgeo.20069 · Cited by 27
Affects of different tillage managements on soil physical quality in a clayey soil
Sağlam, M., Selvi, K., Dengız, O., & Gürsoy, F. E. (2014) · Environmental Monitoring and Assessment · doi:10.1007/s10661-014-4185-8 · Cited by 27
“used by a great number of researchers in soil quality assessment studies (Fernandes et al. 2011; Lima et al. 2013; Liu et al. 2013).”
BackgroundMethodInfluential
Soil quality assessment of paddy fields (in Northern Iran) with different productivities: establishing the critical limits of minimum data set indicators
Hemmati, S., Mahabadi, N. Y., Farhangi, M. B., & Sabouri, A. (2022) · Environmental Science and Pollution Research · doi:10.1007/s11356-022-22846-8 · Cited by 25
Combined Effects of Wildfire and Vegetation Cover Type on Volcanic Soil (Functions and Properties) in a Mediterranean Region: Comparison of Two Soil Quality Indices
Santorufo, L., Memoli, V., Panico, S. C., Santini, G., Barile, R., Giarra, A., Natale, G. D., Trifuoggi, M., Marco, A. D., & Maisto, G. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph18115926 · Cited by 21
“SQI Calculated as Weighted Functions (SQIFUNCT) The SQIs calculated for each function were integrated into a single index (SQIFUNCT) by calculating their arithmetic average, which assumes equal importance of each function [34].”
BackgroundMethod
Identification of regional soil quality factors and indicators: a case study on an alluvial plain (central Turkey)
Şeker, C., Özaytekin, H. H., Negiş, H., Gümüş, İ., Dedeoğlu, M., Atmaca, E., & Karaca, U. Ç. (2017) · Solid Earth · doi:10.5194/se-8-583-2017 · Cited by 24
“…al., 1996) and many of the abovementioned physical, chemical, and biological parameters are reported to be suitable for use as indicators (Arshad and Coen, 1992; Brejda et al., 2000a; Doran and Parkin, 1994; Fernandes et al., 2011; Karlen et al., 1997; Larson and Pierce, 1994; Lima et al., 2013).”
Background
Organic plum cultivation in the Mediterranean region: The medium-term effect of five different organic soil management practices on crop production and microbiological soil quality
Chocano, C., García, C. P., González, D., de Aguilar, J. M., & Hernández, T. (2016) · Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment · doi:10.1016/j.agee.2016.01.031 · Cited by 22
Development of a composite soil degradation assessment index for cocoa agroecosystems in southwestern Nigeria
Adeniyi, S., de Clercq, W. P., & van Niekerk, A. (2017) · Solid Earth · doi:10.5194/se-8-827-2017 · Cited by 21
Methods and Approaches - Soil Quality Indexing, Minimum Data Set Selection & Interpretation - A Critical Review
Thakur, P., Paliyal, S. S., Dev, P., & Datt, N. (2022) · Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis · doi:10.1080/00103624.2022.2063328 · Cited by 22
“This approach used to assess the impact of management practices under arable management (Hussain, Olson, and Wander 1999), under natural forest (Melo Filho, Souza, and Souza 2007), and for rice management systems (Lima et al. 2013).”
BackgroundMethodInfluential
Development of a soil biological quality index for soils of semi-arid tropics
Aravindh, S., Chinnadurai, C., & Balachandar, D. (2020) · SOIL · doi:10.5194/soil-6-483-2020 · Cited by 19
Farmers’ perspectives on soil health in Maritime Canada
Mann, C., Lynch, D. H., Dukeshire, S., & Mills, A. A. S. (2021) · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · doi:10.1080/21683565.2020.1866143 · Cited by 19
Selecting soil quality indicators for different soil management systems in the Brazilian Cerrado
Stefanoski, D. C., de Figueiredo, C. C., Santos, G. G., & Marchão, R. L. (2016) · Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira · doi:10.1590/s0100-204x2016000900064 · Cited by 21
A Simple Evaluation of Soil Quality of Waterlogged Purple Paddy Soils with Different Productivities
Liu, Z., Zhou, W., Lv, J., He, P., Liang, G., & Jin, H. (2015) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0127690 · Cited by 18
“Usually, a minimum data set (MDS) was established based on a careful selection [12,17], and then a soil quality index (SQI) was also increasingly developed to quantify and compare the quality status of soils related to different management practices [11,15].”
BackgroundResultInfluential
Assessing soil microbial respiration capacity using rDNA- or rRNA-based indices: a review
Che, R., Wang, W., Zhang, J., Nguyen, T. T. N., Tao, J., Wang, F., Wang, Y., Xu, Z. H., & Cui, X. (2016) · Journal of Soils and Sediments · doi:10.1007/s11368-016-1563-6 · Cited by 18
Evaluating dynamic soil quality by the soil management assessment framework (SMAF) in the watershed scale in a semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystem in Turkey
Reis, A., & Dindaroğlu, T. (2024) · Geoderma Regional · doi:10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00829 · Cited by 17
Sustainable Soil Management
Stagnari, F., Galieni, A., D’Egidio, S., Pagnani, G., & Pisante, M. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-23169-9_5 · Cited by 18
Soil characteristic changes and quality evaluation of degraded desert steppe in arid windy sandy areas
Ma, J., Qin, J., Ma, H., Zhou, Y., Shen, Y., Xie, Y., & Xu, D. (2022) · PeerJ · doi:10.7717/peerj.13100 · Cited by 19
Quantitative analysis of soil degradation in response to land use change in the Guinea savanna zone of Ghana
Awoonor, J. K., Amoako, E. E., Dogbey, B. F., & Wiredu, I. (2024) · Geoderma Regional · doi:10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00779 · Cited by 17
Soil fertility increases rapidly during the 6–10 yr following conversion of cropland to grassland in China’s Loess Plateau region
Zhang, Q., & Shao, M. (2018) · Canadian Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.1139/cjss-2017-0107 · Cited by 15
Cultivated Land Quality Assessment and Obstacle Factors Diagnosis in Changtu County, Northeast China
Qian, F., Jiao, S., Yu, Y., Wang, X., & Shao, T. (2024) · Land Degradation and Development · doi:10.1002/ldr.5278 · Cited by 15
“…scholars have explored cultivated land quality evaluation, focusing on various aspects such as potential evaluation, health evaluation (Li et al. 2021), suitability evaluation (Tercan and Dereli 2020), sustainable evaluation (Bhardwaj et al. 2011), and soil quality evaluation (Lima et al. 2013).”
Quantifying the Impact of Organic Fertilizers on Soil Quality under Varied Irrigation Water Sources
Lin, S., Lei, Q., Liu, Y., Zhao, Y., Su, L., Wang, Q., Tao, W., & Deng, M. (2023) · Water · doi:10.3390/w15203618 · Cited by 13
Developing characterization factors to quantify management impacts on soil quality of paddy fields within life cycle assessment
Tang, L., Hayashi, K., Ohigashi, K., Shimura, M., & Kohyama, K. (2019) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.117890 · Cited by 14
Developing scoring functions for soil quality to assess land suitability for irrigated wheat in Southern Algeria
Mihoub, A., Koull, N., Helimi, S., Kherraze, M. E., Mokhtari, S., & Fernández, M. P. (2021) · Soil Use and Management · doi:10.1111/sum.12770 · Cited by 13
“Regarding the number of indicators, we have selected a similar number to Lima et al. (2013) who declared that eight indicators could present adequate information on soil quality assessment for land managers.”
Background
Moso Bamboo–Polygonatum cyrtonema Agroforestry Systems: Evaluation of Soil Quality and Polygonatum Yield
Xu, H., Wang, F., Hu, Z., Du, Z., Cheng, L., & Xu, X. (2023) · Forests · doi:10.3390/f14071426 · Cited by 11
Rice-based integrated farming system improves the soil quality, bacterial community structure and system productivity under sub-humid tropical condition
Nayak, P. K., Nayak, A. K., Panda, B. B., Senapati, A., Panneerselvam, P., Kumar, A., Tripathi, R., Poonam, A., Shahid, M., Mohapatra, S. D., et al. (2024) · Environmental Geochemistry and Health · doi:10.1007/s10653-024-01863-1 · Cited by 11
“SQI are the most suitable indicators for assessing land use and manage-ment-dependent changes on soil quality (Lima et al., 2013; Liu et al., 2017) and SQI Biol considered as the most sensitive indicators to soil health and fertility in rice production system (Bhardwaj et al., 2011; Nayak et al.,…”
Concept and Assessment Methodology of Soil Quality: A Review
Sepehya, S., Mehta, D., Kumar, A., Sharma, R., Sharma, D., & Sharma, A. (2024) · International Journal of Plant & Soil Science · doi:10.9734/ijpss/2024/v36i54513 · Cited by 11
Assessing Soil Condition and Capacity Using the Global Pedogenon Map Within the Americas’ Horse Latitudes
Francos, N., Ng, W., Evangelista, S. J., Styc, Q., Sharififar, A., Pachon, J. C., & McBratney, A. B. (2025) · CATENA · doi:10.1016/j.catena.2025.109372 · Cited by 11
Fauna edáfica e suas relações com atributos químicos, físicos e microbiológicos em Floresta de Araucária
Pereira, J. D. M., Baretta, D., Filho, L. C. I. D. O., Baretta, C. R. D. M., & Cardoso, E. J. B. N. (2020) · Ciência Florestal · doi:10.5902/1980509831377 · Cited by 11
Developing scoring functions to assess soil quality at a regional scale in rangelands of SW Spain
Fernández, M. P., Keshavarzi, A., Rodrigo‐Comino, J., Schnabel, S., Contador, J. F. L., Gómez‐Gutiérrez, Á., Lozano‐Parra, J., Barrena-González, J., Alfonso-Torreño, A., & Cerdà, A. (2020) · Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo · doi:10.36783/18069657rbcs20200090 · Cited by 11
Photosynthesis and Leaf Traits of Tree Species Influenced by Green Manure Associated with Soil Treatments
Mendes, M. M., Pinheiro, A. C. R., Pires, F. R., Fernandes, A. A., de Menezes, L. F. T., Pereira, I. D. P., Santos, V. F. D., Leite, L. D. A., Cassol, D., & Falqueto, A. R. (2022) · Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis · doi:10.1080/00103624.2022.2070195 · Cited by 11
“As an alternative for the improvement of the physicochemical attributes of the soil, the use of green manure (GM) has shown to be a very viable indication (Cherubin et al. 2015; Ferreira Neto et al. 2017; Lima et al. 2013).”
Background
An Improved Evaluation Scheme for Performing Quality Assessments of Unconsolidated Cultivated Land
Peng, L., Hu, Y., Li, J., & Du, Q. (2017) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su9081312 · Cited by 11
“We suggest that a decision support [47] from the environmental department to arrive at better informed land management decisions.”
Background
Spatialization of soil quality index in the Sub-Basin of Posses, Extrema, Minas Gerais
Lima, G. C., Silva, M. L. N., de Freitas, D. A. F., Cândido, B. M., Curi, N., & de Oliveira, M. S. (2015) · Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental · doi:10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v20n1p78-84 · Cited by 11
An integrated index based on climatic constraints and soil quality to simulate vegetation productivity patterns
Geng, S., Li, W., Kang, T., Shi, P., & Zhu, W. (2021) · Ecological Indicators · doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108015 · Cited by 10
Effects of Land Use and Soil Management on Soil Quality in India’s Northeastern Himalayas
Hinge, G., Surampalli, R. Y., & Goyal, M. K. (2019) · Journal of Environmental Engineering · doi:10.1061/(asce)ee.1943-7870.0001507 · Cited by 10
Assessment of Soil Functions Affected by Soil Management
Vogel, H. J., Wollschläger, U., Helming, K., Heinrich, U., Willms, M., Wiesmeier, M., Russell, D. J., & Franko, U. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-96229-0_13 · Cited by 10
Comparison of two soil quality assessment models under different land uses and topographical units on the southwest slope of Mount Merapi
Meitasari, R., Hanudin, E., & Purwanto, B. H. (2024) · Soil and Water Research · doi:10.17221/76/2023-swr · Cited by 11
Continuous Cropping and Fertilization on Vertical Distribution of Major Nutrients, SOC Dynamics Through FT-IR Spectroscopy and Developing Soil Quality Indices Under Sandy Clay Loam Soil
Jayanthi, D., & Gokila, B. (2022) · Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis · doi:10.1080/00103624.2022.2112597 · Cited by 9
“…population (bacterial, actinomycetes & fungi) and physical properties (HC & IR) are in the first positive quadrant (Figure 3) followed by soil chemical attributes in the second quadrant which may be due to biological attributes are very sensitive to soil quality changes (Lima et al. 2013).”
Background

Soil quality assessment in rice production systems
de Lima, A. C. R. (2007) · doi:10.18174/42678 · Cited by 3
Self-citation
Soil Quality Assessment in Rice Production Systems: Establishing a Minimum Data Set
de Lima, A. C. R., Hoogmoed, W. B., & Brussaard, L. (2008) · Journal of Environmental Quality · doi:10.2134/jeq2006.0280 · Cited by 70
Self-citation
Soil quality assessment of rice production systems in South of Brazil
de Lima, A. C. R., Hoogmoed, W. B., & Brussaard, L. (2006)
Self-citation
Biofunctool®: a new framework to assess the impact of land management on soil quality. Part A: concept and validation of the set of indicators
Thoumazeau, A., Bessou, C., Renevier, M.-S., Trap, J., Marichal, R., Mareschal, L., Decaëns, T., Bottinelli, N., Jaillard, B., Chevallier, T., et al. (2019) · Ecological Indicators · doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.09.023 · Cited by 83
Selecting soil quality indicators for different soil management systems in the Brazilian Cerrado
Stefanoski, D. C., de Figueiredo, C. C., Santos, G. G., & Marchão, R. L. (2016) · Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira · doi:10.1590/s0100-204x2016000900064 · Cited by 21

Authors: Lima, A. C. R., Brussaard, L., Totola, M. R., Hoogmoed, W. B., & de Goede, R. G. M.
Affiliations: Universidade Federal de Pelotas (BR)
Wageningen University & Research (NL)
Corresponding author: Lima, A.C.R.
ORCID: Lima, A.C.R.
Brussaard, L.
Venue: Applied Soil Ecology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2013-02
Volume: 64
Pages: 194-200
ISSN: 0929-1393 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.12.009
OpenAlex: W1986489147
Cited by: 196
References: 25
Citations by year: 2026: 8 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 1
FWCI: 13.94
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
research.wur.nl
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Applied Soil Ecology (publishedVersion)
Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Funders: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Wageningen University and Research
Topics: Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Management and Crop Yield
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Science and Environmental Management
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Sustainable Agricultural Systems Analysis
Keywords: soil quality indicators, indicator sets, soil functions, water infiltration, soil water storage, nutrient cycling, soil biological activity, soil texture, clay content, farmer perceptions, land management practices, Camaquã

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A functional evaluation of three indicator sets for assessing soil quality

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