Can Ecological Outcomes Be Used to Assess Soil Health?
2025
Isabella C. F. Maciel | Guilhermo F. S. Congio | Eloa M. Araujo | Morgan MathisonSlee | Matt R. Raven | Jason E. Rowntree
Soil health is typically evaluated using physical, chemical, and biological parameters. However, identifying cost-effective and interpretable metrics remains a challenge. The effectiveness of ecological outcome verification (EOV) in predicting soil health in grazing lands was assessed at 22 ranches. Sixty-four soil samples were analyzed using the Haney soil health test (HSHT) and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA). Of 104 variables, 13 were retained following principal component analysis (PCA), including variables associated with plant community, carbon dynamics, and microbial community structure. Soils with enriched microbial and organic matter (SOM) characteristics supported a healthier ecological status, as corroborated by greater EOV scores. Water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC) was positively correlated to plant functional groups, whereas SOM was positively correlated with plant biodiversity and functional groups. Total bacteria were positively correlated with all EOV parameters. Microbial biomass (MB) was positively correlated with both water and energy cycle indexes, whereas arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was positively correlated with the water cycle. From the multiple regression analyses, water infiltration emerged as a key predictor of soil respiration and WEOC. Overall, the ecological outcomes measured by EOV have the potential to serve as a proxy for soil health, providing a practical tool for producers to make informed land management decisions.
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