Management and tillage effects on soil enzyme activities in a long-term agricultural experiment

Non-conservative management practices can affect soil chemical, physical and even biological properties leading, for example, to a greater risk of erosion, faster degradation of plant residues, destruction of soil aggregates and lower microbial community resilience. Nowadays, sustainable soil management practices could be a valid alternative when aiming at both agricultural production and soil preservation. However, one of the most important challenges is to evaluate the impact of management practices on soil quality. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of soil management and tillage on soil enzyme activities with the aim to understand which management practices promote and/or sustain soil quality.