Development of an experimental procedure to analyse the ‘soil health state’ by microcalorimetry

This work is a ‘historical’revision of the evolution of an experimental procedure developed by Prof.Lisardo Núñez and his research group TERBIPROMAT to study thesustainability and the soil health state.From the very beginning,in 1993, the microbial activity was the main bioindicator selected to analysethe ‘soil health state’. For this reason, a microcalorimetrictechnique was used lately to analyse the influence of different human activitiessuch as reforestations, agricultural exploitation or pollution on the microbialactivity in different soils. Microcalorimetry is the main scientific techniqueused in this research to follow the stimulation of the microbial activityby addition of glucose. The data obtained were complemented by a study ofphysical, chemical and biological parameters of soil and allowed to followthe microbial activity in soils of Galicia (Spain) along the year.The final results, still in revision, will be helpful in establishinga data basis for real maps of the ‘health state’ of differentsoils. Such maps could be used to design processes that help us to decidehow we should exploit soils ensuring their sustainability.