Resumen

GONZALEZ, Mirta G et al. Potential universal applicability of soil bioindicators: evaluation in three temperate ecosystems. Cienc. suelo [online]. 2007, vol.25, n.2, pp.151-158. ISSN 1850-2067.

Three selected soils from three countries with temperate climates have been analyzed. Two of the soils are silty loams (Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Salamanca, Spain) and the third one is a sandy loam (Peccioli, Italy). Soil samples representing three agricultural managements were obtained from the top layer (0-10 cm), i.e. intensively cultivated, cultivated and undisturbed native soils. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (Nt), ATP, urease, protease, phosphatase, b-glucosidase, dehydrogenase (DHA), and arginine ammonification (ARA) were determined and compared. SOC and Nt were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in native than in cultivated and intensively cultivated soils. A good correlation (P < 0.05) was found betweenATP, hydrolase activities, ARA, and SOC and Nt, indicating that all these parameters were related to the biological properties and biochemical activity. Then, these biological parameters can be used as bioindicators of agriculture-induced changesin soils. DHA did not correlate with the SOC and Nt contents, or protease activities, indicating that the soil ecosystems had low concentrations of exogenous substrates to metabolize and that micro-organisms were in a reducedstate of activity.

Palabras clave : Soil quality; Soil degradation; Soil enzymatic activity; Argentine; Spain; Italy.

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