A soil quality index based on the equilibrium between soil organic matter and biochemical properties of undisturbed coniferous forest soils of the Pacific Northwest

Recent studies have suggested that the organic matter contents of undisturbed soils (under natural vegetation) are in equilibrium with biological and biochemical properties. Accordingly, we hypothesised that such equilibria should be disrupted when soils are subjected to disturbance or stress, and that measurement of this disruption can be expressed mathematically and used as a soil quality index. In this study, we evaluated these hypotheses in soils from the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon. Both O and A horizons were sampled from nine sites in Spring 2005 and Fall 2006. Soil samples were analyzed for enzyme activities (phosphatase, β-glucosidase, laccase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, protease and urease), and other biological and chemical properties including N-mineralization, respiration, microbial biomass C (MBC), soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen content. In addition, soil samples from one old-growth site were manipulated in the laboratory to either simulate chemical stresses (Cu addition or pH alteration) or physical disturbances (wet-dry or freeze-thaw cycles). The results showed variation in biological and biochemical soil properties that were closely correlated with SOC. Multiple regression analysis of SOC levels against all soil properties showed that a model containing only MBC and phosphatase activity could account for 97% of the SOC variation among the sites. The model fit was independent of spatial and temporal variations because covariates such as site, stand age, sampling date, and soil horizon were found to be not statistically significant. Although the application of stress/disturbance treatments inconsistently affected most of the individual biochemical properties, in contrast, the ratio of soil C predicted by the model (C_p), and soil C measured (C_m) was consistently reduced in soils submitted to at least one level of stress and disturbance treatments. In addition, C_p/C_m was more affected in soils submitted to wet-dry cycles and Cu contamination than to freeze-thaw cycles or shifts in soil pH. Our results confirm previous evidence of a biochemical balance in high quality undisturbed soils, and that this balance is disrupted when the soil is submitted to disturbances or placed under stress conditions. The C_p/C_m ratio provides a simple reference value against which the degrading effects of pollutants or management practices on soil quality can be assessed.     

Towards a biochemical quality index for soils: An expression relating several biological and biochemical properties

Soil biological and biochemical properties are highly sensitive to environmental stress and thus can be used to assess quality. Any soil quality index should include several biological and biochemical variables so as to reflect better the complex processes affecting soil quality and to compensate for the wide variations occurring in individual properties. Many authors recommend the use of a native soil supporting climax vegetation that has undergone minimal anthropogenic disturbance as a high quality reference soil. In this study which examined three such native soils of Galicia (N.W. Spain) bearing Atlantic oakwood as the climax vegetation, biological and biochemical properties were found to vary widely seasonally and with sampling site and depth. These variations were closely correlated with the total carbon (C) and/or total nitrogen (N) contents of the soils. The following equation: Total N= (0.38×10^–3) microbial biomass C +(1.4×10^–3) mineralized N +(13.6×10^–3) phosphomonoesterase +(8.9×10^–3) β-glucosidase+(1.6×10^–3) urease explained 97% of the variance in total N for the soils studied, suggesting that a balance exists between the organic matter content of a soil and its biological and biochemical properties. A simplified expression of the above equation may be useful as a biochemical quality index for soils. Received: 5 March 1997     

Suitability of enzyme activities for the monitoring of soil quality improvement in organic agricultural systems

There is growing interest in the applications of soil enzymes as early indicators of soil quality change under contrasting agricultural management practices. However, despite there being an abundant literature on this subject, most comparative assessments have been based on a limited number of experimental farms and, therefore, conclusions are not as robust as desired. In this study, we compare 18 pairs of organic and neighbouring conventional olive orchards in southern Spain. These sites were selected to allow the definition of the relative contributions of site-landscape features, soil type, and time since organic accreditation and tillage intensity, on the soil quality. Soils were analysed for physico-chemical properties, the activities of dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, arylsulphatase, acid and alkaline phosphatase, and potential nitrification. The geometric mean of the assayed enzymes (GMea) was validated with an independently performed Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and used as a combined soil quality index. The effects of tillage intensity and time since organic accreditation on the improvement of soil quality were also evaluated within the subset of organic farms. Overall for the 18 sites, contrasted management practices did not differ in their impact on basic soil physico-chemical properties, except for loss of on ignition and available inorganic N which were higher and lower in organic farms, respectively. Organic management resulted in significantly higher soil enzyme activities. However, differences were not significant in some of the paired comparisons when considered individually. This highlights the need for extensive comparative assessment, as in this study, to draw clear conclusions concerning the changes to soil quality under sustainable management practices. The GMea was significantly correlated with the first axis of the PCA and shown to be appropriate for condensing the set of soil enzyme values to a sole numerical value. Soil quality changes in organic versus conventional farms, as measured by the GMea, ranged from −23% to 97%, and was highly dependent on time since organic accreditation (r = 0.88; P < 0.01). On the other hand, tillage intensity clearly tended to delay any progress in soil quality in the organic farms.     

Biochemical properties in managed grassland soils in a temperate humid zone: modifications of soil quality as a consequence of intensive grassland use

Although soil biochemical properties are considered to be good indicators of changes in soil quality, few studies have been made of the changes in biochemical properties brought about by anthropogenic disturbance of grassland ecosystems. In the present study, several biochemical properties were analysed in 31 grassland soils subjected to a high level of management, and the values obtained were compared with known values corresponding to native grasslands from the same region (Galicia, NW Spain). The 31 managed grasslands were divided into two groups (re-sown grasslands and improved grasslands) according to their management and past land use. The biochemical properties studied were: labile carbon, microbial biomass carbon, microbial respiration, metabolic quotient, net nitrogen mineralisation and the activities of dehydrogenase, catalase, phosphodiesterase, phosphomonoesterase, casein hydrolysing proteases, benzoyl arginamide (BAA)-hydrolysing proteases, urease, cellulase, ß-glucosidase, invertase and arylsulphatase. Managed grasslands exhibited lower values of soil biochemical properties than native grasslands. Three biochemical equilibrium equations were used to compare soil quality in managed and native grasslands. One of the equations did not show any significant difference between the groups of grassland soils considered. In contrast, two of the equations showed similar soil quality for improved and native grasslands, while re-sown grasslands exhibited a loss of soil quality when compared to native grassland soils.     

Long-term soil management effects on crop yields and soil quality in a dryland Alfisol

A long-term experiment was conducted with the objective of selecting the appropriate land management treatments and to identify the key indicators of soil quality for dryland semi-arid tropical Alfisols. The experiment was conducted using a strip split–split plot design on an Alfisol (Typic Haplustalf) in southern India under sorghum (Sorghum vulgare (L))-castor (Ricinus communis (L)) bean rotation. The strip constituted two tillage treatments: conventional tillage (CT) and minimum tillage (MT); main plots were three residues treatments: sorghum stover (SS), gliricidia loppings (GL), ‘no’ residue (NR) and sub plots were four nitrogen levels: 0 (N₀), 30 (N₃₀), 60 (N₆₀), and 90 kg ha⁻¹ (N₉₀). Soil samples were collected after the sixth and seventh year of experimentation and were analyzed for physical, chemical and biological parameters. Sustainable yield index (SYI) based on long-term yield data and soil quality index (SQI) using principal component analysis (PCA) and linear scoring functions were calculated. Application of gliricidia loppings proved superior to sorghum stover and no residue treatments in maintaining higher SQI values. Further, increasing N levels also helped in maintaining higher SQI. Among the 24 treatments, the SQI ranged from 0.90 to 1.27. The highest SQI was obtained in CTGLN₉₀ (1.27) followed by CTGLN₆₀ (1.19) and MTSSN₉₀ (1.18), while the lowest was under MTNRN₃₀ (0.90) followed by MTNRN₀ (0.94), indicating relatively less aggradative effects. The application of 90 kg N ha⁻¹ under minimum tillage even without applying any residue (MTNRN₉₀) proved quite effective in maintaining soil quality index as high as 1.10. The key indicators, which contributed considerably towards SQI, were available N, K, S, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and hydraulic conductivity (HC). On average, the order of relative contribution of these indicators towards SQI was: available N (32%), MBC (31%), available K (17%), HC (16%), and S (4%). Among the various treatments, CTGLN₉₀ not only had the highest SQI, but also the most promising from the viewpoint of sustainability, maintaining higher average yield levels under sorghum–castor rotation. From the view point of SYI, CT approach remained superior to MT. To maintain the yield as well as soil quality in Alfisols, primary tillage along with organic residue and nitrogen application are needed.     

酸性土壤施石灰对土壤性质与烤烟品质的影响

试验研究酸性土壤施石灰对土壤生物化学性质、烤烟生长和品质的影响结果表明,施用适量石灰可增加土壤细菌、放线菌、好气性纤维素分解菌数量,增强脲酶、酸性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶和纤维素酶活性。pH值5.2的土壤石灰施用量以750～1125kg/hm~2为宜,可促进烤烟根系生长,提高烤烟产量和品质。     

Temporal response of soil biochemical properties in a pastoral soil after cultivation following high application rates of undigested sewage sludge

Soil biochemical properties were measured annually between 1995 and 1999 in soil from an 8-ha site that had received over 1,000 wet tonnes ha^–1 undigested sewage sludge, 1–4 years earlier. Basal respiration generally declined with time and was usually greatest in the untreated control area. This trend was attributed to a similar trend in soil moisture content. In contrast, microbial biomass C increased with time and also generally increased with sludge treatment age. Microbial biomass C, and to a lesser extent sulphatase activity, accurately predicted the order of sludge application to the site. This was perceived as a function of time since tillage and pasture establishment, with activities increasing in parallel to the build up of C residues in the soil, and not an effect of sludge or its composition. Except immediately after sludge application, there was no effect on N mineralisation and nitrification. None of the biochemical properties was strongly correlated with heavy metal concentrations. Our results suggest that there was little effect on soil biochemical properties, either adverse or beneficial, of adding raw sewage sludge to this site. Although a companion study showed considerable mobility and plant uptake of heavy metals, this difference could mainly be attributed to a different sampling strategy and the effects of intensive liming of the site.     

土壤质量的酶学指标研究

土壤质量日益衰退,寻找能够准确标示其变化的敏感指标非常重要。土壤酶几乎参与了土壤中全部的生物化学反应,与土壤中多种生态过程密切相关。土壤酶的敏感性、专一性和综合性等特点使其可以作为一个反映土壤质量的生物学指标。本文在概述了土壤酶作为土壤质量指标可行性的基础上,综述了土壤肥力质量、环境质量等的土壤酶活性和酶动力学指标的研究,并对今后相关研究提出了几点建议。     

Soil CO2 emission and its relationship to soil properties under different tillage systems

There is a lack of understanding as to which soil property is the most important at regulating the temporal variability of soil CO₂ emissions on China’s Loess Plateau. The objective of this study was to evaluate the CO₂ emissions and their relationships to certain soil properties in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) field subject to no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) practices. The CO₂ emissions were signi?cantly higher in the CT (257.6 mg CO₂ m^?2 h^?1), compared with the NT (143.8 mg CO₂ m^?2 h^?1), treatment. Soil organic matter content and carbon stock were 8% and 14% higher, respectively, in the NT, compared with the CT, treatment. Regression analyses between the CO₂ emissions and soil properties, including soil temperature and carbon stock, explained up to 88% and 60% of the temporal variability in CO₂ emissions in the NT and CT treatments, respectively. Linear correlations between the soil temperature and CO₂ emissions were recorded in both the NT and CT treatments. Soil temperature was the most important factor in terms of understanding the temporal variability in CO₂ emissions in wheat fields of the study area.     

Short-term green manure and tillage management effects on maize yield and soil quality in an Andisol

Andisols are very important land resources supporting high human population density. Maize (Zea mays L.) production on Andisols located in the Purhepecha Region of central Mexico is representative of the highlands conditions of Mexico and Latin America. Farmers struggle with low crop yield and low soil nutrient availability. A 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of green manures either tilled into the soil (CT) or cut and left on the surface as a mulch (ZT), on maize yield and soil quality. Green manure treatments were: vetch (Vicia sativa L.), oat (Avena sativa L.) and none. No extra N was added to maize. Green manure and tillage had a significant effect on maize grain yield, N uptake and P uptake with CT vetch performing better than ZT oat. Soil organic C and total N were significantly higher under ZT than under CT management. Soils with vetch had higher P concentration. Soil under ZT oat had the highest infiltration rate and penetration resistance compared with other treatments. There appears to be a trade off between soil productivity and intrinsic soil physical properties among soil treatments.     

Biological soil crust and surface soil properties in different vegetation types of Horqin Sand Land,China

Physical and chemical properties (including coverage, thickness, hardness, moisture, particle size distribution, organic matter and nutrient contents etc.) of biological soil crust and 0–5.0 cm surface soil under the crust in three types of vegetation (semi-shrub Artemisia frigida, shrub Salix gordejevii and tree Populus simonii) were surveyed in 2005 and 2006 in Horqin Sand Land to understand the effects of different vegetation types on development of soil crust and surface soil properties under crust. The results showed that 1) no physical soil crust or biological soil crust (BSC) formed on mobile dunes without vegetation, though most ground surface in originally mobile dunes had been covered by BSC fifteen years after planted vegetation was established; 2) BSC development was best in shrub S. gordejevii sites, second in semi-shrub A. frigida sites, and weakest in tree P. simonii sites; 3) development of BSC was better in moss crust distributed mainly beneath or near plant canopies than in lichen crust distributed mainly between plant canopies in all three vegetation types; 4) surface soil properties 0–5.0 cm under BSC were improved significantly in all three vegetation types compared to those in mobile sand land. The magnitude of improvement was greater in S. gordejevii sites than in A. frigida and P. simonii sites, and greater in moss crust sites than lichen crust sites, but the magnitude of improvement decreased significantly with increasing surface soil depth; 5) based on the above-mentioned results, we suggest that S. gordejevii should be favored in future planting in Horqin Sand Land.     

Determination of the quality index of a Paleudult under sunflower culture and different management systems

Soil is an essential resource for life and its properties are susceptible to be modified by tillage systems. The impact of management practices on soil functions can be assessed through a soil quality index. It is interesting to assess soil quality in different soil types. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the soil quality index of a Paleudult under different management conditions and sunflower culture. The experiment was carried out in Botucatu (SP, Brazil), in an 11-year non-tilled area used for growing soybean and maize during summer and black oat or triticale in winter. Four management systems were considered: no-tillage with a hoe planter (NTh), no-tillage with a double-disk planter (NTd), reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT). Soil samples were taken from the planting lines at harvest time. To determine the soil quality indices, following the methodology proposed by Karlen and Stott (1994), three main soil functions were assessed: soil capacity for root development, water storage capacity of the soil and nutrient supply capacity of the soil. The studied Paleudult was considered a soil with good quality under all the observed management systems. However, the soil quality indices varied between treatments being 0.64, 0.68, 0.86 and 0.79 under NTh, NTd, RT and CT, respectively. Physical attributes such as resistance to penetration and macroporosity increased the soil quality index in RT and CT compared to NTh and NTd. The soil quality indices obtained suggested that the evaluated soil is adequate for sunflower production under our study conditions. In view of the SQI values, RT is the most suitable management for this site since it preserves soil quality and provides an acceptable sunflower yield.     

Quantifying seedbed condition using soil physical properties

Soil physical condition following tillage influences crop yield, but the desired condition cannot be adequately evaluated with current techniques. This study was conducted to determine a soil condition index (SCI) that could be used to select the type of implement needed to achieve an optimal seedbed with minimum energy input. Effects of bulk density, moisture content, and penetration resistance resulting from three tillage systems (no-till, chisel plow and moldboard plow), on the growth of corn (Zea mays L.) were studied. The experiment was conducted in Boone County, Ames, IA, on soils that are mostly Aquic Hapludolls, Typic Haplaquolls and Typic Hapludolls with slopes ranging from 0 to 5%. The results are from the 2000 season, which had normal weather conditions and yield levels for the Iowa state. The average corn grain yield at this site was 9.36 Mg/ha. At the V2 corn growth stage, the average dry biomass was 1.34 g per plant. The soil physical properties were normalized with respect to reference values and combined via multiple regression analysis against corn biomass at V2 stage into the SCI. Mean SCI values for the no-till, chisel and moldboard plow treatments were 0.86, 0.76, and 0.73, respectively, all with a standard error of 0.0127. The lower the SCI, the more optimum the soil physical conditions. An analysis of variance showed significant differences among mean SCI for each treatment (p-value=0.001). The use of the SCI could improve the tillage decision-making process in environments similar the one studied.     

海南岛土壤质量系统评价与区域特征探析

研究建立了海南岛热带地区土壤质量系统评价模型 ,并对该岛土壤质量进行综合评价 ,结果表明海南岛土壤养分有效性为主要限制因子 ,水分有效性和根系适宜性状较好 ,土壤综合质量中等偏上。与林地相比其他土地利用方式土壤质量均有所下降     

稻草还田对烟田土壤性状和烟草产量及品质的影响

在永州和浏阳进行的稻草还田田间试验结果表明，稻草还田无论是以覆盖还是翻埋方式还田，对烟田土壤性状和烟草产量、品质均有明显的影响。稻草覆盖能在烟草生长后期高温季节对土壤有一定的保湿作用，同时还能增加0～5cm土层土壤的微生物数量，提高烤烟的产量、产值、纯收入和内、外品质；稻草翻埋能增加15～20cm土层土壤的微生物数量，同样能提高烤烟的产量、产值、纯收入和内、外品质。为了避免稻草在腐解过程中产生不利影响，建议稻草还田时应定量（4500kg／hm^2），稻草翻埋还田的应尽量早翻埋，在晚稻收割以后就可以将稻草翻埋下去。     

A new index to assess soil quality and sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems

Sustainability index was calculated to assess soil quality under the influence of different fertilizer management practices. It is based on the area of the triangle in which nutrient index, microbial index and crop index of soil represented the three vertices of a triangle. Nutrient index reflected the nutrient status of soil and was calculated from the measurements of various soil chemical parameters. Microbial index was calculated by determining various soil microbial and biochemical activities and crop index by measuring of crop yield parameters. Eighteen soil indicators were determined to assess nutrient index, microbial index and crop index in order to compare the effect of different sources of nutrients such as green manure, farmyard manure and chemical fertilizer in a rice/corn–wheat rotation. The indices were applied to assess the sustainability of five field experiments with respect to the different fertilizer treatments. The long-term application of organic manures in rice/corn–wheat cropping system increased the index value because it increased the nutrient index, microbial index and crop index of soils. The use of only chemical fertilizers in the rice–wheat cropping system resulted in poor soil microbial index and crop index. In corn–wheat system, additional application of FYM at 10 t ha^–1 before sowing corn made the system more sustainable than application of 100%NPK; the sustainability index values were 2.43 (the highest for this system) and 0.93, respectively.     

Tillage choices affect biochemical properties in the soil profile

Intensive conventional farming and continuous use of land resources can lead to agro-ecosystem decline and increased releases of CO₂ to the atmosphere as soil organic matter (OM) decays. The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of varying types and depths of tillage on microbial biomass, C content, and humification in the profile of a loamy-sandy soil in the Mugello valley, close to the Apennine Mountains, in Italy. Soil samples were collected to depths of 0–10, 10–20, 20–30 and 30–40 cm, in the ninth year following introduction of tillage practices. Highest content of all C forms examined (total, extractable and humified) was found at the 0–10 cm depth with minimum tillage (MT) and ripper subsoiling (RS) and at the 30–40 cm depth with conventional tillage (CT). Humified C decreased with depth in soils under MT and RS. None of the tillage systems showed any difference in total N and microbial biomass C in the upper depths, but concentrations were greater below 20 cm in soils subjected to CT, than other tillage systems. Crop production was similar in all tillage systems. Stratification and redistribution of nutrients were consistent with the well known effects of tillage reduction. Total organic C and its distribution in the profile depended on the tillage system employed. MT and RS can be regarded as excellent conservation tillage systems, because they also sequester C.     

Effects of compost and of bacterial cells on the decontamination and the chemical and biological properties of an agricultural soil artificially contaminated with phenanthrene

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are highly recalcitrant widespread environmental pollutants. Bioremediation, accomplished by the introduction of PAH-degrading microorganisms (bioaugmentation) and/or by applying additional nutrients (biostimulation) into a contaminated system is a valuable alternative to traditional chemical and physical treatments for the decontamination of PAH-contaminated soils. We investigated on a laboratory scale the fate of phenanthrene (Phe), selected to represent PAHs, when added to a fresh, agricultural soil with no history of PAH contamination. The relative effect of compost (C), applied at two different doses (C1=0.27%, and C2=0.83%, corresponding to 10 and 30 t ha⁻¹, respectively), and the efficiency of a Phe-degrading bacterial culture inoculated into the soil (S) and soil-compost (S-C1 and S-C2) systems were investigated. Changes in various functionally related properties such as microbial biomass, basal respiration, and soil hydrolases and oxido-reductases activities were measured over time. The variations of the main physical and chemical properties were also monitored. The soil showed an intrinsic capability for degrading Phe, and this was enhanced and stimulated by the lower compost dose (a decrease of the extractable Phe from 70% to about 50% of that initially added, and higher kinetic Phe disappearance constants). A simultaneous, rapid increase of soil respiration and microbial biomass, and higher phosphatase and arylsulphatase activities were measured, suggesting that microbial growth and activity had increased. The inoculation with Phe-degrading bacterial cells strongly accelerated the Phe degradation. After 15 d of incubation, the residual Phe decreased to 10% in S and S-C1 and to zero in S-C2, respectively. No apparent effects were observed for the higher compost dose. Several of the soil properties showed differentiated responses to the presence of the Phe, the compost and/or the exogenous culture. As a general response, soil systems with and without the inoculated cells showed similar trends for several of the measured enzymatic properties (e.g. phosphatase, arylsulphatase, β-glucosidase and urease activities), indicating that the intrinsic soil enzymatic activity was not affected by the exogenous microorganisms. Temporary and permanent changes were observed for several of the properties investigated, thereby providing useful information on the impact of Phe on soil metabolic activity.     

Short-term effects of olive mill waste water (OMW) on chemical and biochemical properties of a semiarid Mediterranean soil

Olive mill waste water (OMW), a by-product of the olive mill industry, is produced in large amounts in Mediterranean countries. Olive mill waste water contains a high organic load, substantial amounts of plant nutrients but also several compounds with recognized toxicity towards living organisms. Moreover, OMW may represent a low cost source of water. Thus, the use of OMW for soil fertigation is a valuable option for its disposal, provided that its impact on soil chemical and biochemical properties is established. Investigations were performed on the short-term influence of OMW on several chemical and biochemical properties of a soil from a continental semi-arid Mediterranean region (Morocco). The soil was amended with 0, 18 and 36 ml 100 g⁻¹ soil of OMW (corresponding to a field rate of 0, 40 and 80 m³ ha⁻¹, respectively) and changes in various functionally related properties such as microbial biomass, basal respiration, extractable C and N, and soil hydrolases and oxido-reductases activities were measured over time. The variations of the main physical and chemical properties as well as the residual phytotoxicity of OMW amended and non-amended soils as assessed by tomato seed germination tests were also monitored. Temporary and permanent changes in several chemical and biochemical soil properties occurred following OMW application, thus being these properties varied in sensitivity to the applied disturbance. A sudden increase of total organic C, extractable N and C, available P and extractable Mn and Fe contents were measured. Simultaneously, a rapid increase of soil respiration, dehydrogenase and urease activities and microbial biomass (at 14 day incubation) of OMW amended soils occurred. In contrast, the activities of phosphatase, β-glucosidase, nitrate reductase and diphenol oxidase decreased markedly. The soil became highly phytotoxic after OMW addition (large decline of soil germination capability), mainly at 80 m³ ha⁻¹ OMW. After 42 days' incubation, however, a complete recovery of the soil germination capability and a residual phytotoxicity of about 30% were observed with 40 and 80 m³ ha⁻¹ OMW, respectively. These findings indicate that the impact of OMW on soil properties was the result of opposite effects, depending on the relative amounts of beneficial and toxic organic and inorganic compounds present. The toxic compounds contained in OMW most likely counteracted the beneficial effect of organic substrates provided, which promoted the growth and activity of indigenous microorganisms.     

Evaluating chemical and physical quality indicators for a structurally fragile tropical soil

In tropical regions with well‐defined wet and dry seasons, repeated wetting and drying cycles can harden exposed soils and inhibit root growth. While this phenomenon has been well documented, the relationships between plant productivity and chemical and physical soil parameters have not been well defined. The current study identifies the abiotic parameters that best relate to measures of plant development, specifically to corn productivity. The primary goal of this research was to provide information to improve agricultural sustainability in humid tropical ecosystems. The effects of using plant residues as a cover on a sandy soil were studied. Four leguminous species were planted in an alley cropping system, Leucaena leucocephala, Cajanus cajan, Clitoria fairchildiana and Acacia mangium, and corn was planted in January 2007 between legume rows. We measured the most important chemical and physical soil parameters. Yield indicators included cob weight and the weight of 100 kernels. The application of plant residues altered soil conditions and increased rootable soil volume. This change was associated with an increase by 10% in water retention above field capacity in the uppermost soil layer of the residue‐covered sections of the experiment. In the control sections cobs were up to three times lighter (31.43–93.38 g) in the bare soil control than those from residue‐covered sections of the experiment. Dynamic indicators related to nutrient absorption and crop evapotranspiration, such as the number of days with water stress and rootable soil volume, were the most suitable indicators for assessing soil quality. The response of corn was best related to complex physical indicators, including the amount of N applied via legume residues.