The C/N ratio is one parameter. Just interpret one parameter like C/N ratio: Is the soil really degraded? What is the intension of the question? Nitrate is okay, micro biological activity is okay... soil fertility is okay... Could you please give more information about the soil you are interested in.

I wanted to understand is that usually in desert areas, the rate of MO is low except in areas planted, which is where I studied when I took planted by the prickly pear plants, of olive and Aleppo pine.

a C: N ratio between 10 and 12 means that there is a good biological activity. Can a good biological activity exist in a desertified soil?

Thank you for your help.

Hi Souad. What do you mean by MO? And what do you mean by degraded?

C:N ratio is only informative with a broader understanding of the soil. Iʻm not sure about cactus and olives, but most desert plants have a relatively high C:N ratio, like around 30. So comparatively your soil has a lower ratio, and there is like some biological activity going on to reduce the carbon levels. There can be "good" biological activity in desert soils...most microbes can survive very dry conditions, then when it rains and there is moisture available they reactivate and do their thing, then go dormant again when it dries out.

Hi Noa,

Thank you for your response apologizing for the bad English.

I wanted to understand is that, speaking of degraded soil, I insinuated soil under strong desertification and where the rate of organic matter is low....

When the soil reveals a C / N between 10 and 12. This result, so a good microbial activity, is this not a contradiction in a fragile soil?

Analyzes were made on degraded soil but planted by different plant ( Aleppo pine, Cactus and olive).

Souad.

Hi Noa,

Thank you for your response apologizing for the bad English.

I wanted to understand is that, speaking of degraded soil, I insinuated soil under strong desertification and where the rate of organic matter is low....

When the soil reveals a C / N between 10 and 12. This result, so a good microbial activity, is this not a contradiction in a fragile soil?

Analyzes were made on degraded soil but planted by different plant ( Aleppo pine, Cactus and olive).

Again it is hard to say for certain just based on the C:N ratio, but it is certain that you are losing more C than N (by %) because your inputs will likely have a C:N ratio over 20. Itʻs not a contradiction to a degraded soil, but itʻs also not the whole picture.