Maria Godinho
Personal details
Maria do Céu Godinho holds a degree in Agronomic Engineering and a Master¿s degree in Integrated Pest Management from the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon. She has been a professor of Polytechnic Higher Education since 1996, an adjunct professor at the Agricultural School of Santarém where she is responsible for the curricular units in the area of plant protection. Member of the IPSantarem Research Unit (UIIPS) and the Quality of Life Research Centre (CIEQV).She has completed postgraduate training courses in Plant Protection at institutions such as Wageningen University (Netherlands), Imperial College (Univ. London) and CAB-Institute of Entomology (London). Participates in several national and European projects with special focus on the coordination of PRR - Soilife1st that did run until 2015. Participates as a trainer to agents of the sector in the area of integrated protection. Assumes orientation and co-orientation of Bachelor and Master thesis. He has been Chairman of the Board of the COTHN General Assembly since 2015 and a member of the APH Board. She is the author and co-author of technical and scientific papers. She is the author and co-author of book chapters in the field of plant protection.
Sessions
Soil biodiversity is increasingly recognized as a key component of soil health and ecosystem functioning. However, biological indicators remain underrepresented in routine soil monitoring program compared with physical and chemical parameters. The SoilLife1st project aimed to evaluate the effects of soil-improving agricultural practices on soil health in Portuguese horticultural systems, with a particular focus on soil biological quality.
Between 2022 and 2025, six commercial horticultural fields located in the Ribatejo, Oeste and Alentejo Litoral regions were monitored. Biodiverse cover crops were established prior to the main cash crops and compared with control plots under conventional management. Soil biological quality was assessed using the QBS-ar (Soil Biological Quality based on Arthropods), a recognized indicator that integrates the diversity of soil microarthropod groups with their degree of adaptation to soil habitats.
Microarthropods play a fundamental role in organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling and soil structure formation, while also responding rapidly to changes in soil conditions and management practices.
Results showed higher QBS-ar values in plots where cover crops were implemented, indicating a significant improvement in soil biological quality compared with control treatments.
These findings demonstrate the potential of cover crops to enhance soil biodiversity and support the use of QBS-ar as a tool for soil health assessment. The work contributes to the integration of biological indicators into soil monitoring frameworks and supports the implementation of the European Soil Monitoring Law and future soil health policies.