Regenerative agriculture improves soil functioning and the complexity of soil food webs after a short transition period

Using a chronosequence approach, we evaluated fields converted to regenerative management 1, 2, and 5 years prior to sampling, alongside conventional control plots. Regenerative management increased soil moisture and organic matter, while reducing electrical conductivity. Enzymatic activities—leucine aminopeptidase and phosphatase—increased consistently across the conversion chronosequence. Faunal responses included a rise in mite abundance, particularly oribatid, and enchytraeid worm populations after two years, followed by a shift in the fifth year toward dominance by larger arthropods such as insects, crustaceans, and millipedes