Abstract
Maintaining good soil quality is crucial for the sustainability of agriculture. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the visual soil assessment (VSA) method by testing it on two soil types and two agricultural management practices (AMP) (organic and integrated) that are considered to protect soil quality. We selected two farms with plots on two river terraces with different soil properties. The test was based on the modified method Annual Crops Visual Quality Assessment developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and supported by a standardized soil physical and chemical analysis. This study showed that the assessed score is highly dependent on the type of farming practice and how soils are managed. The soil type also plays an important role. The results for Calcaric Fluvisol showed that the effects of selected agricultural management practices on the visual assessment of soil quality could be almost undetectable. The time of assessment also plays a significant role in VSA scoring. Different crops and agricultural activities with significant impacts on the soil occur throughout the year (especially in vegetable production). It was observed that a higher score for the soil cover indicator had a beneficial effect on the total VSA rating.
Highlights
Three factors that influence an ecosystem’s vitality and productivity are water quality, air quality, and soil quality
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the visual soil assessment (VSA) method by testing it on two soil types and two agricultural management practices (AMP) that are considered to protect soil quality
The results for Calcaric Fluvisol showed that the effects of selected agricultural management practices on the visual assessment of soil quality could be almost undetectable
Summary
Three factors that influence an ecosystem’s vitality and productivity are water quality, air quality, and soil quality. When defining the quality of water and air, there are standards by which both qualities can be quantitatively determined, usually by assessing the degree of pollution [1]. Soil quality depends on external factors such as soil management, ecosystem and environmental interactions, socioeconomic, political, and policy priorities, and climate change [4]. Taking these factors into account, a definition has been developed that defines soil quality as “the ability of soil to function within an ecosystem and with respect to the land use by maintaining biological productivity, maintaining environmental quality and promoting plant and animal vitality” [5,6]
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