Increasing fertilization levels improve biological indicators of soil quality in silvopastoral systems in the Cerrado of Minas Gerais.

Silvopastoral systems contribute to improving soil quality, and fertilization intensification can enhance the benefits of this management. In this context, this study evaluated biological indicators of soil health, such as the activity of the enzymes β-glucosidase (BG) and arylsulfatase (ARS), as well as microbial biomass carbon (Cmic), in silvopastoral systems subjected to different fertilization levels. The study was conducted in Cordisburgo, Minas Gerais State, in the Cerrado biome, and evaluated the following land-use systems: native vegetation (NV), silvopastoral system without fertilization (SPS1), with 50% (SPS2), 100% (SPS3), and 150% of the recommended fertilization (SPS4). Soil samples were collected from the 0–10 cm layer. The SPS4 (1,192.02 µg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹) and NV (1,167.47 µg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹) systems showed higher ARS activity compared to SPS2 (903.12 µg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹) and SPS1 (883.69 µg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹). The SPS4 (1,319.15 µg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹) and SPS3 (837.76 µg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹) systems presented higher BG values compared to NV (723.89 µg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹) and SPS1 (607.32 µg pNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹). Microbial biomass carbon was significantly higher in SPS4 (323.43 mg kg⁻¹) and SPS3 (329.85 mg kg⁻¹) compared to SPS1 (153.75 mg kg⁻¹). The results indicate that higher fertilization levels intensify the positive effects of silvopastoral systems on biological indicators of soil health.