{"type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [{"id": "10.1016/j.agee.2018.05.028", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-25T16:15:40Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2018-05-31", "title": "Effects of agricultural management practices on soil quality: A review of long-term experiments for Europe and China", "description": "Open AccessIn this paper we present effects of four paired agricultural management practices (organic matter (OM) addition versus no organic matter input, no-tillage (NT) versus conventional tillage, crop rotation versus monoculture, and organic agriculture versus conventional agriculture) on five key soil quality indicators, i.e., soil organic matter (SOM) content, pH, aggregate stability, earthworms (numbers) and crop yield. We have considered organic matter addition, no-tillage, crop rotation and organic agriculture as 'promising practices'; no organic matter input, conventional tillage, monoculture and conventional farming were taken as the respective references or 'standard practice' (baseline). Relative effects were analysed through indicator response ratio (RR) under each paired practice. For this we considered data of 30 long-term experiments collected from 13 case study sites in Europe and China as collated in the framework of the EU-China funded iSQAPER project. These were complemented with data from 42 long-term experiments across China and 402 observations of long-term trials published in the literature. Out of these, we only considered experiments covering at least five years. The results show that OM addition favourably affected all the indicators under consideration. The most favourable effect was reported on earthworm numbers, followed by yield, SOM content and soil aggregate stability. For pH, effects depended on soil type; OM input favourably affected the pH of acidic soils, whereas no clear trend was observed under NT. NT generally led to increased aggregate stability and greater SOM content in upper soil horizons. However, the magnitude of the relative effects varied, e.g. with soil texture. No-tillage practices enhanced earthworm populations, but not where herbicides or pesticides were applied to combat weeds and pests. Overall, in this review, yield slightly decreased under NT. Crop rotation had a positive effect on SOM content and yield; rotation with ley very positively influenced earthworms' numbers. Overall, crop rotation had little impact on soil pH and aggregate stability \u2212 depending on the type of intercrop; alternatively, rotation of arable crops only resulted in adverse effects. A clear positive trend was observed for earthworm abundance under organic agriculture. Further, organic agriculture generally resulted in increased aggregate stability and greater SOM content. Overall, no clear trend was found for pH; a decrease in yield was observed under organic agriculture in this review.", "keywords": ["China", "Soil Science", "Organic chemistry", "Crop", "01 natural sciences", "Long-term field experiments", "Crop Productivity", "Soil quality", "Environmental science", "Organic Matter Dynamics", "Tillage", "Agricultural and Biological Sciences", "Soil quality indicators", "Crop rotation", "Management of Soil Fertility and Crop Productivity", "Soil water", "FOS: Mathematics", "Agricultural management practices", "Monoculture", "Crop Yield Stability", "Biology", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences", "Literature review", "Response ratio", "Soil science", "2. Zero hunger", "Soil organic matter", "Soil Fertility", "Conventional tillage", "Geography", "Life Sciences", "Agriculture", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "Soil Nutrient Management", "15. Life on land", "Agronomy", "Europe", "Chemistry", "Archaeology", "13. Climate action", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Crop husbandry", "Organic matter", "Intercropping in Agricultural Systems", "Soil Carbon Dynamics and Nutrient Cycling in Ecosystems", "Agronomy and Crop Science", "Mathematics"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2018.05.028"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Agriculture%2C%20Ecosystems%20%26amp%3B%20Environment", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.agee.2018.05.028", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.agee.2018.05.028", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.agee.2018.05.028"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2018-10-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.10.002", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-25T16:15:49Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2012-12-17", "title": "Chemical And Microbiological Soil Quality Indicators And Their Potential To Differentiate Fertilization Regimes In Temperate Agroecosystems", "description": "Abstract The study examined the interrelationships between chemical and microbiological quality indicators of soil and their ability to differentiate plots under contrasting fertilization regimes. The study was based on a long-term field experiment established on an Udic Ustocrepts in 1966. The soil was cropped with maize (Zea mays L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and received no organic fertilization (control), wheat straw and maize stalk (crop residue) or cattle manure (manure) in combination with increasing levels of mineral N (N0 and N200). To asses whether seasonal fluctuations of measured properties might mask the effects of fertilization, soil samples were collected four times within a growing season. Manure amendment increased soil TOC and TN, while crop residue amendment had no significant effects. Mineral N increased TN only in April, while in September it decreased water extractable organic C (WEOC). Data of diffuse reflectance Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) gave evidence for a higher relative contribution of the aliphatic peak at 2930\u00a0cm\u22121 and a lower relative contribution of the aromatic peaks at 1620\u00a0cm\u22121 and 1520\u00a0cm\u22121 under manure. Manure amendment stimulated enzymatic activities, increased microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and total phospholipids (PLFAs), and reduced the metabolic quotient (qCO2). Patterns of PLFAs indicated that manure amendment increased the ratio of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria. Crop residue amendment had no significant effects, while in September mineral N inhibited protease activity and reduced the Gram-positive to Gram-negative ratio. Microbial-related parameters fluctuated over time but their seasonality did not hamper the identification of fertilization-induced effects. The selected properties proved to be valuable indicators of long-term changes of soil quality and were strongly interrelated: changes in soil organic matter content and composition induced by manure amendment were accompanied by changes in abundance and function of the soil microbial community. Partial least square analysis obtained relating DRIFTS spectra to measured soil properties produced accurate predictive models for TOC and PLFAs, and moderately accurate models for Cmic, showing the potential of DRIFTS to be used as a rapid soil testing technique for soil quality monitoring.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "LONG-TERM EXPERIMENT; FERTILIZATION; SOIL QUALITY INDICATORS; MID-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY; SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.10.002"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Applied%20Soil%20Ecology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.10.002", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.10.002", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.10.002"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2013-02-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1108/00070700910992925", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-25T16:18:34Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2009-10-05", "title": "A meta-analysis of the differences in environmental impacts between organic and conventional farming", "description": "Purpose

This paper aims to perform a meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis of the literature comparing the environmental impacts of organic and conventional farming and linking these to differences in management practises. The studied environmental impacts are related to land use efficiency, organic matter content in the soil, nitrate and phosphate leaching to the water system, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretic framework uses the driver\uffe2\uff80\uff90state\uffe2\uff80\uff90response framework and literature data were analysed using meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis methodology. Meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis is the statistical analysis of multiple study results. Data were obtained by screening peer reviewed literature.

Findings

From the paper's meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis it can conclude that soils in organic farming systems have on average a higher content of organic matter. It can also conclude that organic farming contributes positively to agro\uffe2\uff80\uff90biodiversity (breeds used by the farmers) and natural biodiversity (wild life). Concerning the impact of the organic farming system on nitrate and phosphorous leaching and greenhouse gas emissions the result of the analysis is not that straightforward. When expressed per production area organic farming scores better than conventional farming for these items. However, given the lower land use efficiency of organic farming in developed countries, this positive effect expressed per unit product is less pronounced or not present at all.

Original value

Given the recent growth of organic farming and the general perception that organic farming is more environment friendly than its conventional counterpart, it is interesting to explore whether it meets the alleged benefits. By combining several studies in one analysis, the technique of meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis is powerful and may allow the generation of more nuanced findings and the generalisation of those findings.

", "keywords": ["Agriculture and Food Sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS", "Environmental management", "NEW-ZEALAND", "CROPPING SYSTEMS", "NITROUS-OXIDE", "SOUTHERN GERMANY", "Agriculture", "SOIL QUALITY INDICATORS", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "MODELING APPROACH", "15. Life on land", "7. Clean energy", "Organic foods", "12. Responsible consumption", "Europe", "13. Climate action", "LEACHING LOSSES", "PHOSPHORUS P", "11. Sustainability", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "LONG-TERM CHANGES"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Mondelaers, Koen, Aertsens, Joris, Van Huylenbroeck, Guido,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700910992925"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/British%20Food%20Journal", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1108/00070700910992925", "name": "item", "description": "10.1108/00070700910992925", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1108/00070700910992925"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2009-09-26T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.20944/preprints202304.0088.v1", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-25T16:20:04Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-04-07", "title": "A Review of Permanent Grassland Grazing Management Practices and the Impacts on Principal Soil Quality Indicators", "description": "

Grasslands are at risk of degradation due to unsustainable management practices and climate change. Sustainable grassland soil management can promote ecosystem service delivery and improve the resilience of the entire grassland ecosystem to anthropogenic change. Here, we re-view the principal soil quality indicators (SQIs) and how they have been used to evaluate the sustainability of different grassland management practices globally. We then discuss sustainable grazing management practices, before reviewing some novel grassland species which may im-prove grassland resilience with relevance for grassland management in Europe and the UK. We also give an overview of current sustainable grassland management methods and their assessment at field scale. From this, we suggest that sustainable Grazing Management Plans (GMPs), together with the testing of drought-resistant grass species and appropriate SQIs monitoring, is key to increasing resilience of grassland ecosystems to anthropogenic change.

", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "330", "S", "QH301 Biology", "soil quality indicators; grazing management; ecosystem services; permanent grasslands; management practices", "Agriculture", "15. Life on land", "12. Responsible consumption", "Permanent grasslands", "permanent grasslands", "QH301", "Soil quality indicators", "13. Climate action", "SDG 13 - Climate Action", "agricultural_science_and_agronomy_16", "management practices", "Ecosystem services", "Grazing management", "soil quality indicators", "grazing management", "ecosystem services"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://iris.unito.it/bitstream/2318/1910970/1/A53%20Grassland%20erosion%20Agronomy.pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/5/1366/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202304.0088.v1"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Agronomy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.20944/preprints202304.0088.v1", "name": "item", "description": "10.20944/preprints202304.0088.v1", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.20944/preprints202304.0088.v1"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-04-06T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10261/401974", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-25T16:24:46Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2025-06-27", "title": "Soil Quality Indicators in Agroecological Practices: Lessons From a Systematic Review of Long\u2010Term Experiments", "description": "ABSTRACT

In recent decades, there has been increasing recognition of soil as a vital and non\uffe2\uff80\uff90renewable natural resource that provides essential environmental, economic, and social benefits. Agronomic and soil management practices\uffe2\uff80\uff94such as tillage systems, crop rotation, and nutrient applications\uffe2\uff80\uff94significantly influence near\uffe2\uff80\uff90surface soil properties and related ecosystem services. There is growing interest in defining soil quality and establishing specific indicators regarding conservation practices. This systematic review was focused on Long\uffe2\uff80\uff90Term Field Experiments (LTEs) conducted in seven countries: Czech Republic, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, and Turkey. The review examined the most frequently studied soil quality properties related to agroecological practices. Our goal was also to standardize the results based on the advanced works in recent years on soil ecosystem services. The findings underscore the strong interest in sustainable production with a particularly high presence of agroecological soil practices in Long\uffe2\uff80\uff90Term Field Experiments (LTEs), especially in Italy and the Czech Republic. Cereals are among the most extensively studied crops under organic amendments and tillage intensity trials in the reviewed papers. Soil properties related to climate and environmental services (such as organic carbon) are the main indicators studied. Additionally, the review highlights a significant gap in soil biodiversity indicators in the agroecological long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term studies analysed. As a future direction, it is crucial to develop new, holistic soil quality indicators that encompass chemical\uffe2\uff80\uff93physical and biological aspects for soil monitoring and conservation.

Grasslands are at risk of degradation due to unsustainable management practices and climate change. Sustainable grassland soil management can promote ecosystem service delivery and improve the resilience of the entire grassland ecosystem to anthropogenic change. Here, we re-view the principal soil quality indicators (SQIs) and how they have been used to evaluate the sustainability of different grassland management practices globally. We then discuss sustainable grazing management practices, before reviewing some novel grassland species which may im-prove grassland resilience with relevance for grassland management in Europe and the UK. We also give an overview of current sustainable grassland management methods and their assessment at field scale. From this, we suggest that sustainable Grazing Management Plans (GMPs), together with the testing of drought-resistant grass species and appropriate SQIs monitoring, is key to increasing resilience of grassland ecosystems to anthropogenic change.

", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "330", "S", "QH301 Biology", "soil quality indicators; grazing management; ecosystem services; permanent grasslands; management practices", "Agriculture", "15. Life on land", "12. Responsible consumption", "Permanent grasslands", "permanent grasslands", "QH301", "Soil quality indicators", "13. Climate action", "SDG 13 - Climate Action", "agricultural_science_and_agronomy_16", "management practices", "Ecosystem services", "Grazing management", "soil quality indicators", "grazing management", "ecosystem services"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://iris.unito.it/bitstream/2318/1910970/1/A53%20Grassland%20erosion%20Agronomy.pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/5/1366/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/2164/20743"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Agronomy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "2164/20743", "name": "item", "description": "2164/20743", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/2164/20743"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-04-06T00:00:00Z"}}], "links": [{"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "This document as GeoJSON", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Soil+quality+indicators&f=json", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "title": "This document as HTML", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Soil+quality+indicators&f=html", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection URL", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"type": "application/geo+json", "rel": "first", "title": "items (first)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Soil+quality+indicators&", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "last", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "items (last)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Soil+quality+indicators&offset=8", "hreflang": "en-US"}], "numberMatched": 8, "numberReturned": 8, "distributedFeatures": [], "timeStamp": "2026-07-26T07:19:50.756200Z"}