An evaluation of biological soil health indicators in four long‐term continuous agroecosystems in Canada

Abstract The soil microbial community (SMC) and organic matter (SOM) are inherently related sensitive to land‐use changes. Microorganisms regulate essential functions that key SOM dynamics, whereas dynamics define the SMC. To expand our understanding of health, we evaluated biological indicators in long‐term (18‐yr) continuous silage corn ( Zea mays L.), soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.], perennial grass ecosystems Ontario, Canada. SMC was via ester‐linked fatty acid methyl ester (EL‐FAME) amplicon sequencing. Soil a new combined enzyme assay provides single biogeochemical cycling value for C, N, P, S activity (CNPS), as well loss‐on‐ignition, permanganate oxidizable C (POXC), total N. Overall, health followed trend grasses > soybean. Grass systems had up 8.1 times more arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, increased fungal/bacteria ratios (via EL‐FAME), higher diversity sequencing). POXC highly variable within treatments did not significantly differ between systems. novel CNPS assay, however, management (up 2.2 3.2 under than soybean, respectively) positively correlated ρ .92) SOM, Following “more is better” model, where values measured parameters indicate healthier soil, study showed decreased monocultures, especially highlights need implement sustainable agriculture practices maintain health.