Abstract

The aim of this review is to present a foundation of present knowledge and to describe existing strategies for the development and implementation of monitoring systems for soil quality of arable land, based on soil-quality indicators. In the review viewpoints are discussed on the soil-quality concept, suggested frameworks for its assessment, and possible methods for the selection and evaluation of quality indicators. These sections are in general terms, without emphasis on chemical, physical or biological soil properties. The potential value of including microbiological indicators in a monitoring system is discussed thoroughly. Several possible microbiological indicators are suggested, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Strategies for the selection and sampling of monitoring sites are reviewed, and the treatment of samples before analyses is also discussed. In conclusion, a framework for using microbiological indicators in a Swedish monitoring system is suggested.

Keywords

biological indicators; microbial indicators; minimum data set; soil health; soil microbiology; soil sampling

Published in

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Soil and Plant Science
1999, Volume: 49, number: 1, pages: 1-24

SLU Authors

• Stenberg, Bo

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Soil Science
Microbiology
Agricultural Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09064719950135669

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/41703