Development of vegetation based soil quality indices for mineralized terrane in arid and semi-arid regions

Alfisol soils of rainfed semi-arid tropics (SAT) are degrading due to several physical, chemical, and biological constraints. Appropriate soil-nutrient management practices may help to check further soil degradation. A long-term experiment comprising tillage and conjunctive nutrient use treatments under a sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)–mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilkzec) system was conducted during 1998–05 on SAT Alfisols (Typic Haplustalf) at the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad. The study evaluated soil and nutrient management treatments for their long-term influence on soil quality using key indicators and soil quality indices (SQI). Of the 21 soil quality parameters considered for study, easily oxidisable N (KMnO4 oxidisable-N), DTPA extractable Zn and Cu, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates, and hydraulic conductivity (HC) played a major role in influencing the soil quality and were designated as the key indicators of ‘soil quality’ for this system. The SQI obtained by the integration of key indicators varied from 0.66 (unamended control) to 0.83 (4 Mg compost + 20 kg N as urea) under conventional tillage (CT), and from 0.66 (control) to 0.89 (4 Mg compost + 2 Mg gliricidia loppings) under reduced tillage (RT). Tillage did not influence the SQI, whereas the conjunctive nutrient-use treatments had a significant effect. On an average, under both CT and RT, the sole organic treatment improved the soil quality by 31.8% over the control. The conjunctive nutrient-use treatments improved soil quality by 24.2–27.2%, and the sole inorganic treatment by 18.2% over the control. Statistically, the treatments improved soil quality in the following order: 4 Mg compost + 2 Mg gliricidia loppings > 2 Mg Gliricidia loppings + 20 kg N as urea = 4 Mg compost + 20 kg N as urea > 40 kg N as urea. The percentage contribution of the key indicators towards the SQI was: MBC (28.5%), available N (28.6%), DTPA-Zn (25.3%), DTPA-Cu (8.6%), HC (6.1%), and MWD (2.9%). The functions predicting the changes in yield and sustainability yield index with a given change in SQI were also determined.

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Quantitative assessment of soil quality indices for urban croplands in a calcareous semi-arid ecosystem

Geoderma ◽

10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114781 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 382 ◽

pp. 114781

Author(s):

N. Mamehpour ◽

Salar Rezapour ◽

N. Ghaemian

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Quantitative Assessment ◽

Arid Ecosystem ◽

Quality Indices ◽

Semi Arid

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Effect of Soil and Nutrient-Management Treatments on Soil Quality Indices under Cotton-Based Production System in Rainfed Semi-arid Tropical Vertisol

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis ◽

10.1080/00103624.2011.571735 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 42 (11) ◽

pp. 1298-1315 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

K. L. Sharma ◽

J. Kusuma Grace ◽

P. K. Mishra ◽

B. Venkateswarlu ◽

M. B. Nagdeve ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Production System ◽

Nutrient Management ◽

Quality Indices ◽

Semi Arid

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Alternative soil quality indices for evaluating the effect of intensive cropping, fertilisation and manuring for 31 years in the semi-arid soils of India

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment ◽

10.1007/s10661-007-9697-z ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 136 (1-3) ◽

pp. 419-435 ◽

Cited By ~ 98

Author(s):

Reginald Ebhin Masto ◽

Pramod K. Chhonkar ◽

Dhyan Singh ◽

Ashok K. Patra

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Arid Soils ◽

Quality Indices ◽

Intensive Cropping ◽

Semi Arid

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Comparison of the disturbance of soil physical quality indices between different underground mining stages in semi-arid regions of western China

Authorea ◽

10.22541/au.158765856.67934594 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

DEJUN YANG ◽

WENJING HAN ◽

YIPEI HUA

Keyword(s):

Arid Regions ◽

Underground Mining ◽

Western China ◽

Quality Indices ◽

Physical Quality ◽

Soil Physical Quality ◽

Semi Arid

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The Role of Organic Fertilizers in Transition to Sustainable Agriculture in the MENA Region

10.5772/intechopen.101411 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Helen Avery

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Arid Regions ◽

Climate Adaptation ◽

Nutrient Retention ◽

Organic Fertilizers ◽

Attractive Alternative ◽

Mena Region ◽

Conventional Agriculture ◽

Regional Food ◽

Semi Arid

Organic fertilizers can serve as an element of transitions to sustainable low-input agriculture in semi-arid regions of the MENA region. They play a key role in supporting soil biota and soil fertility. Yield improvements, availability and relatively low costs make organic fertilizers an attractive alternative for farmers. In semi-arid regions, important considerations are improved soil quality, which in turn affects soil water retention, while better root development helps crops resist heat and water stress. Organic fertilizers thus support climate adaptation and regional food security. Soil quality is crucial for carbon sequestration, at the same time that increased nutrient retention reduces impacts of agricultural runoff on groundwater and water bodies. Factors that impede the generalised use of organic fertilizers include lack of expertise, subsidy structures, constraints of the wider food and agricultural systems, and difficulties in transitioning from conventional agriculture. Such obstacles are aggravated in countries affected by security issues, financial volatility or restrictions in access to market. Against the background of both general and local constraints, the chapter examines possible pathways to benefit from organic fertilizers, in particular synergies with other sustainable agricultural practices, as well as improved access to expertise.

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Development of a Spatial Model for Soil Quality Assessment under Arid and Semi-Arid Conditions

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13052893 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 2893

Author(s):

Mohamed S. Shokr ◽

Mostafa. A. Abdellatif ◽

Ahmed A. El Baroudy ◽

Abdelrazek Elnashar ◽

Esmat F. Ali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Spatial Model ◽

Quality Index ◽

Arid Regions ◽

Soil Quality Index ◽

High Quality ◽

Land Capability ◽

Quality Class ◽

Egyptian Desert ◽

Semi Arid

Food security has become a global concern for humanity with rapid population growth, requiring a sustainable assessment of natural resources. Soil is one of the most important sources that can help to bridge the food demand gap to achieve food security if well assessed and managed. The aim of this study was to determine the soil quality index (SQI) for El Fayoum depression in the Western Egyptian Desert using spatial modeling for soil physical, chemical, and biological properties based on the MEDALUS methodology. For this purpose, a spatial model was developed to evaluate the soil quality of the El Fayoum depression in the Western Egyptian Desert. The integration between Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and Sentinel-2 satellite image was used to produce landforms and digital soil mapping for the study area. Results showed that the study area located under six classes of soil quality, e.g., very high-quality class represents an area of 387.12 km2 (22.7%), high-quality class occupies 441.72 km2 (25.87%), the moderate-quality class represents 208.57 km2 (12.21%), slightly moderate-quality class represents 231.10 km2 (13.5%), as well as, a low-quality class covering an area of 233 km2 (13.60%), and very low-quality class occupies about 206 km2 (12%). The Agricultural Land Evaluation System for arid and semi-arid regions (ALESarid) was used to estimate land capability. Land capability classes were non-agriculture class (C6), poor (C4), fair (C3), and good (C2) with an area 231.87 km2 (13.50%), 291.94 km2 (17%), 767.39 km2 (44.94%), and 416.07 km2 (24.4%), respectively. Land capability along with the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) used for validation of the proposed model of soil quality. The spatially-explicit soil quality index (SQI) shows a strong significant positive correlation with the land capability and a positive correlation with NDVI at R2 0.86 (p < 0.001) and 0.18 (p < 0.05), respectively. In arid regions, the strategy outlined here can easily be re-applied in similar environments, allowing decision-makers and regional governments to use the quantitative results achieved to ensure sustainable development.

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