According to Douglas et al. (2003) soil quality refers to the
capacity of a specific kind of soil to function, within natural or
M. Ngo-Mbogba et al. / Soil & Tillage Research 150 (2015) 124–131 125
managed ecosystem boundaries, to sustain plant and animal
productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and
support human health and habitation. Soil quality assessment
helps farmers or any other land user to determine trends in soil
health that result from management practices and thereby indicate
whether a change in practice is necessary (Karlen et al., 2001 in
Andrews et al., 2003).