Assessment of soil quality indicators in degraded areas of southern Italy using Vis-NIR spectroscopy

Rapid, precise and quantitative assessment of soil quality is crucial for sustainable evaluation and monitoring of the effects of management on soil resource under agricultural systems and for the characterization and monitoring of land degradation processes. Over the past three decades, Visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy have been shown to be an effective alternative to conventional laboratory analysis, and can provide time and cost effective approaches for the prediction of several soil properties related to soil quality indicators. For this study, VIS-NIR spectroscopic and chemometric analysis were employed for the assessment of soil quality indicators in three degraded areas (two survey sites depleted in organic carbon and one polluted by organic and inorganic compounds) located in Southern Italy (Apulia Region). The soil reflectance properties in the wavelengths range between 350-2500 nm were measured in three experimental sites(fields) selected for the project, before and after a recovery treatment by using compost (organic fertilizer). The objectives was to evaluate the efficiency of soil VIS-NIR spectra for prediction of selected soil indicators closely related to soil quality in Mediterranean areas, such as those investigated in this study, affected by land degradation processes (contamination and/or organic carbon impoverishment).