Use of soil enzyme activities to monitor soil quality in natural and improved fallows in semi-arid tropical regions

• Published in: Applied soil ecology : a section of Agriculture, ecosystems & environment Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 229 - 238
• Main Authors: Badiane, Ndour Ndèye Yacine, Chotte, J.L, Pate, E, Masse, D, Rouland, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-11-2001; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agricultural practices; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biochemistry; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Enzymes activities; Fallows; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbial biomass; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Soil organic matter; Soil science; Senegal; West Africa; Africa; Soil organic matter; Agricultural practices; Enzymes activities; Microbial biomass; Fallows; Chitinase; Monocotyledones; Organic matter; Tropical zone; Soil quality; Sandy soil; Tropical soil; Enzymatic activity; Gramineae; Semi arid zone; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Age; Andropogon gayanus; Amylase; Enzyme; Vegetation effect; Oxisols; Multipurpose tree; β-Glucosidase; Leguminosae; Glycosidases; Hydrolases; Spermatophyta; Xylan endo-1,3-β-xylosidase; Fodder crop; O-Glycosidases; Principal component analysis; Fallow
• ISSN: 0929-1393; 1873-0272
• DOI: 10.1016/S0929-1393(01)00159-7

Soil enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, amylase, chitinase, xylanase) were investigated in natural and improved fallows of the semi-arid zone of Senegal. The effect of age (4-, 11-, and 21-year-old), management (fenced versus grazed), and vegetation (natural,
Acacia holocericea,
Andropogon gayanus) were compared. Principal component analysis revealed a relationship between enzyme activities and the age and the management of fallows. β-Glucosidase and amylase activities were significantly higher in the oldest natural fallows. The highest xylanase activity was recorded for the
A. gayanus improved fallows. This fallow also showed highest chitinase activity, similar to that of the 21-year-old natural fenced fallow. Amongst the different types of fallow management studied, the introduction of
A. holocericea depleted all the tested activities. No relationships between enzymes activities and soil organic content, and total microbial biomass were evident. The reasons for the observed variations are discussed.