@article{fdi:010092779,
  title = {{I}mpact of farming practices on soil microbial biomass : an international synthesis},
  author = {{D}unn, {L}. and {D}equiedt, {S}. and {M}arilleau, {N}icolas and {L}ang, {C}. and {D}jemiel, {C}. and {C}ottin, {A}. and {H}orrigue, {W}. and {S}adet-{B}ourgeteau, {S}. and {R}anjard, {L}. and {P}r{\'e}vost-{B}our{\'e}, {N}. {C}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A}gricultural intensification during the 20th century has profoundly altered soil ecosystems, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable practices enhancing soil quality. {S}oil microbial biomass is a key indicator of soil quality, reflecting both biological and ecosystem resilience. {H}owever, existing studies often focus on specific practices or regions, limiting their applicability to diverse farming systems. {T}his study synthesizes data from 280 scientific publications selected through the {W}eb of {S}cience database, covering a wide geographical range, to evaluate the effects of the main agronomic levers, i.e. tillage, fertilization, crop rotation diversity including intercropping, and pesticide use on soil microbial biomass. {S}tatistical analyses revealed that soil microbial biomass is generally promoted by organic fertilization (+64 % to +76 %), reduced tillage (+32 % to +41 %) and increased crop diversity (+10 % to +47 %), while mineral fertilization shows more modest effects (+7 % to +35 %). {T}hese results comply with the "carrying capacity" and "ecological habitat" concepts for soil microorganisms: farming practices affect soil microbial biomass either directly through resources availability or survival, and indirectly by changing the soil physical and chemical properties, i.e. habitat properties and growth conditions. {B}y integrating findings from this extensive dataset, this work significantly expands the current understandings of how agricultural practices influence soil microbial biomass. {I}t emphasizes the operational potential of soil microbial biomass as a practical, unifying indicator for assessing the impact of farming strategies on soil quality. {M}oreover, this study provides actionable insights to support sustainable land management and aligns international soil monitoring initiatives, including the {E}uropean {D}irective on soil monitoring and resilience and its national implementations.},
  keywords = {{S}oil biodiversity ; {M}icrobial indicator ; {G}lobal analysis ; {A}gronomic practices ; {S}ustainability},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{A}griculture {E}cosystems and {E}nvironment},
  volume = {383},
  numero = {},
  pages = {109513 [17 p.]},
  ISSN = {0167-8809},
  year = {2025},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.agee.2025.109513},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010092779},
}