SOIL HEALTH ASSESSMENT WITH A FOCUS ON BIOLOGICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL INDICATORS

Soil health is a fundamental component for the sustainability of agricultural systems, being directly influenced by biological activity and the interactions among physical, chemical, and microbiological components.Among the various methods for evaluating soil quality, biological and microbiological bioindicators have gained prominence due to their sensitivity to changes caused by land use and management.Given the growing demand for tools that promote sustainable land use, this article aims to present a critical review of the main bioindicators used in soil quality assessment, with emphasis on soil fauna, enzymatic activity, microbial biomass carbon, microbial respiration, and the metabolic quotient.In addition, it seeks to highlight the importance of the BioAS technology as an innovative and accessible tool for monitoring soil health, providing technical and scientific support to guide more efficient and environmentally responsible agricultural practices.Soil fauna acts in the decomposition of organic matter, nutrient cycling, and improvement of physical soil properties.Meanwhile, microorganisms and their enzymes directly reflect the functionality and resilience of soil ecosystems.The integrated use of these indicators, combined with the standardization of methodologies such as BioAS, represents a promising path toward sustainable soil management and the conservation of natural resources.