On the issue of using microbiological indicators in the assessment of soil quality

Abstract

The article substantiates the use of microbiological indicators in soil quality assessment. A wide range of microbiological indicators was analyzed based on the results of many years of research by leading Ukrainian and foreign scientists – soil scientists, ecologists, microbiologists. In addition to soil and climate indicators, it is proposed to use microbiological indicators as evaluative indicators, such as soil phytotoxicity, potential cellulose-degrading capacity, and the "soil respiration" indicator (based on the intensity of CO2 release). The purpose of the article is to highlight the results of assessing the quality of arable soils (on the example of the Kharkiv region) using an improved methodical approach by taking into account the above-mentioned microbiological indicators. As a result of determining the microbiological evaluation indicators of the main arable soils of the Kharkiv region, their influence on evaluation points was analyzed according to the improved method of soil quality assessment. A comparison of the results of determining evaluation points using different methodical approaches was carried out. When comparing the calculated evaluation points according to different methodical approaches, it was established that the increase in the number of evaluation indicators compared to the current rating method leads to the clarification of the evaluation points of the studied soils. This concerns the methodical approach of V.V. Medvedev and others, as well as the proposed improved methodical approach.