There is limited knowledge of biochemical processes in low carbon content soils of semiarid regions under different land use and management. This study investigated several enzyme activities of C, N, P, and S transformations in semiarid soils with different clay (10–21 %) and sand (59–85 %) contents that were under conservation reserve program (CRP), native rangeland (NR), and cropland (CL) under sunflowers (Eriophyllum ambiguum (Gray)), continuous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), or in rotations with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) or sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) in West Texas, USA. Soils under CRP and NR showed higher total C and N contents than cultivated soils under continuous cotton, but soil pH (6.7–8.4) was not affected by the management or land use studied. The activities of β‐glucosidase, β‐glucosaminidase, arylamidase, acid and alkaline phosphatase, phosphodiesterase, and arylsulfatase (mg product (kg soil)^–1 h^–1) were lower in CL under continuous cotton compared to cotton in rotation with other crops, CRP, and NR. The enzyme activities were also lower when compared to soils from other regions. Linear regression analyses indicated positive correlations between enzyme activities and total C (r values up to 0.96, P < 0.01). There was a positive relationship between enzyme activities and total N, but soil pH showed the opposite trend. Enzyme activities were significantly intercorrelated with r values up to 0.98 (P < 0.001). The specific enzyme activities (mg product (g organic C)^–1) were lower in continuous cotton in comparison to the uncultivated soils (i.e., NR and CRP) reflecting differences in organic matter quantity and quality due to cultivation. Among the enzymes studied, the specific activities of β‐glucosidase and arylamidase showed a more pronounced decrease with increasing soil depth. In general, soils under CRP or wheat‐cotton rotations revealed higher enzyme activities than soils under the common agricultural practice for these regions, i.e., continuous cotton under conventional tillage.

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