Indicator thresholds and scoring curves.

<p>Indicator thresholds and scoring curves.</p

Pearson’s correlation coefficients and probability of error (<i>p</i>) among soil quality indexes (SQI) developed to assess the land use change (native vegetation—pasture—sugarcane) impacts on soil quality in central-southern Brazil.

<p>Pearson’s correlation coefficients and probability of error (<i>p</i>) among soil quality indexes (SQI) developed to assess the land use change (native vegetation—pasture—sugarcane) impacts on soil quality in central-southern Brazil.</p

Appendix A. Creating historical land use reconstructions for Mato Grosso, Brazil (1901–2006).

Creating historical land use reconstructions for Mato Grosso, Brazil (1901–2006)

Soil Quality Index (SQI)^§ scores under native vegetation (NV), pasture (PA) and sugarcane (SC), for the 0–30 cm depth, at three sites in central-southern Brazil.

<p>^§SQI strategies: SQI-1: TDS/non-linear/simple additive, SQI-2: TDS/non-linear/weighted additive, SQI-3: MDS_-PCA/non-linear/simple additive, SQI-4: MDS_-PCA/non-linear/ weighted additive, SQI-5: MDS_-EO /non-linear/simple additive, and SQI-6: MDS_-EO /non-linear/weighted additive. *Mean values within each index followed by the same letter do not differ among themselves according to Tukey’s test (<i>p</i><0.05).</p

Soil functions framework and indicators^§ used to develop the SQI-2.

<p>Soil functions framework and indicators<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0150860#t002fn001" target="_blank">^§</a> used to develop the SQI-2.</p

Examples of the scoring curve shapes used for scoring each soil quality indicator.

<p>A) more-is-better function; B) less-is-better function; C) mid-point optimum function.</p

Process diagram for the development of soil quality indexes tested in this study.

<p>Process diagram for the development of soil quality indexes tested in this study.</p

Mean values of the 38 soil indicators (0–30 cm depth) in native vegetation (NV), pasture (PA) and sugarcane (SC) at three sites in central-southern Brazil.

<p>Mean values of the 38 soil indicators (0–30 cm depth) in native vegetation (NV), pasture (PA) and sugarcane (SC) at three sites in central-southern Brazil.</p

Sensitivity values of SQ indexing strategies used to assess the land use change (native vegetation—pasture—sugarcane) impacts on soil quality in central-southern Brazil.

<p>Sensitivity values of SQ indexing strategies used to assess the land use change (native vegetation—pasture—sugarcane) impacts on soil quality in central-southern Brazil.</p

Result of principal component analysis.

<p>Result of principal component analysis.</p