Soil Biological Quality Monitoring – QBS-ar

Timesis conducts the assessment of soil biological quality through the QBS-ar index

The term QBS-ar is the acronym of Soil Biological Quality (in Italian: Qualità Biologica del Suolo) based on the microarthropods community (ar). QBS-ar considers soil microarthropods, invertebrates belonging to the Arthropoda phylum, having a range size between 0.2 and 2 mm (mesofauna).

Assessment of soil degradation is done using chemical, physical and microbiological parameters: with such methods, although it is possible to parameterize and determine some soil characters, it is often difficult to determine what the effects of any degradation are on the biotic component of the soil. Indeed, it is well known that the biotic component of soil is a reliable and trustworthy indicator of soil quality that is a direct expression of the functionality of the organisms that populate it.

Soil water retention – For efficient water management in agriculture.

To maintainbalance in the soil, it is crucial to understand its hydrological properties, particularly its water-holding capacity, known as water potential. The relationship between soil water potential and soil water content is represented by the water retention curve, which is influenced by soil characteristics. Inadequate management can cause problems such as compaction and Reduction of the organic component. Timesis offers soil testing and evaluation services of its hydrological properties using specialized instruments such as the Stackman’s tank and the ‘Richards’ plates’ pressure extractor. These instruments allow measurement of soil water content from saturation to the point of permanent wilting.