BIODIVERSITY AS A FUNCTIONAL BASIS FOR DISTINGUISHING THE CONCEPTS OF "SOIL QUALITY" AND "SOIL HEALTH"
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31861/biosystems2025.03.443Keywords:
soil health, soil quality, biodiversity, BMSHF, constitutional soil properties, soil biota, soil food webAbstract
This article investigates the terminological confusion within soil science, specifically the frequent and often imprecise exchange of the terms "soil quality" and "soil health." The primary goal is to develop a robust conceptual framework that distinguishes these two categories by their functional roles, highlighting soil biodiversity as the essential driver that converts inherent soil potential into active ecosystem performance.
The methodological architecture of this research rests upon a systematic synthesis and critical appraisal of seminal and contemporary literature (1997–2024) concerning soil assessment, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Utilizing comparative analysis, the study contrasts inherent versus dynamic soil properties; via structural-functional synthesis, it develops an original conceptual model; and through polemical analysis, it identifies current contradictions in biological indication methodologies. The scope encompasses the evolution from classical soil quality paradigms to modern, health-oriented assessment frameworks, with a profound focus on the soil food web’s regulatory functions.
Research indicates that soil quality is best understood through its permanent, slow-changing characteristics that determine a land's long-term ecological capability. Conversely, soil health is viewed as a fluid condition reflecting the soil's current ability to provide essential services while under human management. The study further highlights soil biodiversity as the central driver of the system, fueling critical processes such as nutrient recycling, carbon storage, and overall environmental resilience.
Central to this work is the introduction of the Biodiversity-Mediated Soil Health Framework (BMSHF). This model analytically integrates static constitutional properties (the bedrock of quality), biological drivers (active biodiversity), and dynamic ecosystem outcomes (the manifestations of health). The author advocates for a systemic approach where soil biota is positioned not merely as a diagnostic parameter, but as the foundational "ecosystem engineer" ensuring the system's operational integrity.
Ultimately, this study provides a theoretical scaffold for the development of biologically-oriented soil assessment protocols and justifies biodiversity as the focal point for strategic management in sustainable land-use systems.
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