Perenniality Impacts on Soil Physical and Hydraulic Properties and Ecosystem Services: A Review

Soil degradation threatens agricultural sustainability by impairing soil structure, hydrological function, and ecosystem services. While conservation tillage and cover cropping have been extensively studied, the role of perenniality remains underexplored, particularly regarding its impacts on soil physical and hydraulic properties. This review addresses three key objectives: (1) assessing the effects of perenniality on soil structure and hydrology, (2) synthesizing its contributions to water quality, soil conservation and climate mitigation, and (3) identifying barriers to its adoption in agricultural systems. This study synthesized over two decades of interdisciplinary evidence from peer-reviewed literature across diverse agroecosystems to understand how perennial crops influence soil systems. Findings indicate that perennial crops restore soil structure through continuous root activity and organic matter inputs, enhancing aggregate stability, reducing compaction, and stabilizing pore networks. These structural improvements enhance water infiltration capacity, increase soil water retention, and reduce erosion, thus contributing to improved water quality and climate mitigation through reduced nutrient losses and greater carbon sequestration. Despite these benefits, perenniality adoption is constrained by agronomic, economic, and policy barriers. Continued long-term, multidisciplinary research is essential to guide management decisions and support broader adoption of perennial agriculture.