Linking biological and organic matter indicators of soil health with soil water functions in semi-arid compost-amended and intensified cropping systems

Authors: OLUFEMI, ADEBAYO - New Mexico State University; STROHM, TESS - Colorado State University; Acosta Martinez, Veronica; FONTE, STEVE - Colorado State University; SCHIPANSKI, MEAGAN - Colorado State University; Mikha, Maysoon; BISTA, PRAKRITI - New Mexico State University; ANGADI, SANGAMESH - New Mexico State University; GHIMIRE, RAJAN - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: Geoderma
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2026
Publication Date: 1/23/2026
Citation: Olufemi, A., Strohm, T.N., Acosta-Martinez, V., Fonte, S., Schipanski, M., Mikha, M.M., Bista, P., Angadi, S.V., Ghimire, R. 2026. Linking biological and organic matter indicators of soil health with soil water functions in semi-arid compost-amended and intensified cropping systems. Geoderma. 466. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2026.117692.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2026.117692

Interpretive Summary: Soil health assessment in water-limited regions of the USA requires the selection of indicators that reflect key functions regulating soil water for crop productivity. Scientists from Colorado State University, New Mexico State University, and USDA-ARS in Akron, CO and Lubbock, TX evaluated the response of several microbial, chemical, and physical indicators of soil health to diverse cropping system intensification and soil amendment application strategies. They also assessed their linkages to soil water dynamics. Their research found through a minimum data set analysis that total fatty acid methyl esters (TFAME) for different microbial groups key to many soil processes, light fraction N (LFN), and mineral-associated organic C (MAOC) were key soil health indicators to overall soil health. Meanwhile, TFAME and LFN were identified as key predictors of soil water functions.

Technical Abstract: Soil health is crucial for sustaining agriculture in arid and semi-arid environments. However, soil health assessments in these environments often lack indicators that are both sensitive to management and functionally linked to ecosystem services such as water regulation. This study evaluated a range of physical, chemical, and biological indicators of soil health under varying cropping intensities and amendments at two semi-arid locations to evaluate their sensitivity to management and their linkages to key soil water functions. Among various indicators tested, microbial responses were highly sensitive to compost application. Compost-amended cropping systems had significantly greater soil microbial biomass, labile carbon (C) content, and inorganic nitrogen (N), with the long-term compost site showing a 211% greater particulate organic matter-C, a 63% greater mineral[1]associated organic matter-C, and 63% to 268% greater microbial community sizes than those in no-compost amended systems. Cover cropping, particularly with a diverse mixture, modestly improved microbial activity and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi abundance, with a stronger effect when combined with compost. While some indicators exhibited site-specific sensitivity, the most consistently responsive across sites were potentially mineralizable C, total fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), total labile N. Multivariate analysis identified total FAME (microbial community size), total labile N, particulate organic C and field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) as a minimum data set of indicators for soil health assessment based on their sensitivity, robustness in response, and functional relevance to soil water processes. These findings also support that compost application and intensification of cropping systems can optimize soil health and water regulation in water-limited environments.