Evaluation of soil properties in an agricultural area under climate-smart agriculture practices
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29312/remexca.v17i6.4153Keywords:
agricultural systems, climate resilience, soil quality, sustainable soil managementAbstract
Soil is an essential and strategic resource for the sustainability of agricultural production on the planet; however, it faces progressive degradation derived from unsustainable management practices and the effects of climate change. Within this context, climate-smart agriculture emerges as an approach to try to increase productivity by strengthening the resilience of agricultural systems. The research aimed to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of the soil at two sites: 1) where an agropastoral system has been implemented as a CSA practice; and 2) where unsustainable agricultural techniques have been maintained. Soil sampling followed NOM-021-SEMARNAT-2000, dividing the soil into six 25 m2 plots, from which characteristics such as soil texture, structure, pH, real and bulk density, porosity, organic matter, total carbonates, and hydraulic conductivity were determined. It was concluded that implementing climate-smart agriculture practices through agropastoral systems improves soil physical properties early, with increases of 1% in organic matter and 1.64% in new pore space; by contrast, changes in chemical properties require longer time scales. These results highlight the potential of climate-smart agriculture as a viable strategy for the restoration and sustainable management of agricultural soils in arid and semiarid regions of Mexico.
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