Soil quality and fertility in sustainable agriculture, with a contribution to the biological classification of agricultural soils

作者：Adriano Sofo, Augusto Zanella, Jean‐François Ponge · 发表于：Soil Use and Management · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.1111/sum.12702 · 被引用次数：81 · 研究领域：Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics、Soil Management and Crop Yield、Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology

Abstract Soils and crops are particularly vulnerable to climate change and environmental stresses. In many agrosystems, soil biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by soils are under threat from a range of natural and human drivers. Agricultural soils are often subject to agronomic practices that disrupt soil trophic networks and make soils less productive in the long term. In this scenario, sustainable soil use aimed at improving plant/root status, growth and development plays a crucial role for enhancing the biological capacity of agricultural soils. This commentary paper is divided into the following four main sections: (i) the contentious nature of soil organic matter; (ii) soil biological quality/fertility; (iii) soil classification; and, (iv) which agricultural practices can be defined as sustainable? The published literature was analyzed within a holistic framework, with agrosystems considered as living systems where soil, vegetation, fauna and microorganisms co‐evolve and are reciprocally influenced. Ultimately, this article will suggest a better stewardship of agricultural soils as a natural capital.