@article{fdi:010040827,
  title = {{GISQ}, a multifunctional indicator of soil quality},
  author = {{V}elasquez, {E}. and {L}avelle, {P}atrick and {A}ndrade, {M}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{W}e present here an indicator of soil quality that evaluates soil ecosystem services through a set of 5 subindicators, and further combines them into a single general {I}ndicator of {S}oil {Q}uality ({GISQ}). {W}e used information derived from 54 properties commonly used to describe the multifaceted aspects of soil quality. {T}he design and calculation of the indicators were based on sequences of multivariate analyses. {S}ubindicators evaluated the physical quality, chemical fertility, organic matter stocks, aggregation and morphology of the upper 5 cm of soil and the biodiversity of soil macrofauna. {A} {GISQ} combined the different subindicators providing a global assessment of soil quality. {R}esearch was conducted in two hillside regions of {C}olombia and {N}icaragua, with similar types of land use and socio-economic context. {H}owever, soil and climatic conditions differed significantly. {I}n {N}icaragua, soil quality was assessed at 61 points regularly distributed 200 m apart on a regular grid across the landscape. {I}n {C}olombia, 8 plots representing different types of land use were arbitrarily chosen in the landscape and intensively sampled. {I}ndicators that were designed in the {N}icaragua site were further applied to the {C}olombian site to test for their applicability. {I}n {N}icaragua, coffee plantations, fallows, pastures and forest had the highest values of {GISQ} (1.00; 0.80; 0.78 and 0.77, respectively) while maize crops and eroded soils (0.19 and 0.10) had the lowest values. {E}xamination of subindicator values allowed the separate evaluation of different aspects of soil quality: subindicators of organic matter, aggregation and morphology and biodiversity of macrofauna had the maximum values in coffee plantations (0.89; 0.72 and 0.56, respectively on average) while eroded soils had the lowest values for these indicators (0.10; 0.31 and 0.33, respectively). {I}ndicator formulae derived from information gained at the {N}icaraguan sites were not applicable to the {C}olombian situation and site-specific constants were calculated. {T}his indicator allows the evaluation of soil quality and facilitates the identification of problem areas through the individual values of each subindicator. {I}t allows monitoring of change through time and can guide the implementation of soil restoration technologies. {A}lthough {GISQ} formulae computed on a set of data were only valid at a regional scale, the methodology used to create these indices can be applied everywhere.},
  keywords = {macrofauna ; multivariate analyses ; soil quality ; organic fractions ; respirometry ; morphology},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{S}oil {B}iology and {B}iochemistry},
  volume = {39},
  numero = {12},
  pages = {3066--3080},
  ISSN = {0038-0717},
  year = {2007},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.soilbio.2007.06.013},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010040827},
}