Soils are the foundation of agricultural production, ecosystem functioning and human well\uffe2\uff80\uff90being. Bridging soil knowledge gaps and improving the knowledge system is crucial to meet the growing EU soil policy ambitions in the face of climate change and the ongoing trend in soil degradation. The objective of this article is to assess the current state of knowledge, knowledge use and knowledge gaps concerning sustainable soil management in Europe. This study is based on interviews with 791 stakeholders and 254 researchers and on a comprehensive review of >1800 documents carried out under the European Joint Programme on agricultural soils. Despite differences in stakeholder groups, the conclusions are rather consistent and complementary. We identified major knowledge gaps with respect to (1) soil carbon stocks, (2) soil degradation and fertility and (3) strategies for improved soil management. Transcending these three areas, particularly the loss of soil organic carbon, peatland degradation and soil compaction, are most critical, thus, we stress the urgency of developing more models and monitoring programmes on soils. Stakeholders further report that insufficient transfer of existing soil research findings to practitioners is a hindrance to the adoption of sustainable soil management practices. In addition to knowledge production, soil knowledge gaps may be addressed by considering seven recommendations from the stakeholders: (1) raising awareness, (2) strengthening knowledge brokers, (3) improving relevance of research activities and resource allocation for land users, (4) peer\uffe2\uff80\uff90to\uffe2\uff80\uff90peer communication, (5) targeting advice and information, (6) improving knowledge access, and (7) providing incentives. We argue that filling and bridging knowledge gaps should be a priority for policymakers and the insights provided in the article may help prioritise research and dissemination needs enabling a transition to more sustainable soil management in Europe.Soil plays a central role in most aspects of human societies, and there is a large body of literature about sustainable soil management. Nevertheless, soil is currently facing degradation arising from different threats, which undermines sustainable development globally. In order to design effective research and policy strategies, it is necessary to identify the current knowledge level about sustainable soil management. This study summarises the key findings from a systematic stocktake of available knowledge about agricultural soil management practices in 23 European countries, which included the identification of soil management practices in use, the associated impacts and the soil challenges addressed. The aim of the study was to understand the current state of knowledge about the impacts of soil management practices, investigated and/or implemented across Europe. The results were analysed at the European level and were also grouped into European Regions and Environmental Zones. Key findings from this study were the identification of knowledge gaps that are key to climate mitigation and adaptation. There is a knowledge gap about soil management practices to avoid greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils, as the few reported studies evidence the complexity of the processes governing these emissions. Further knowledge is needed on the impact of tillage practices on long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term carbon storage and distribution along the soil profile, as the reported knowledge was not consensual about carbon storage in deeper soil layers.Current and future stakeholders and decision\uffe2\uff80\uff90makers involved in agricultural soil management need to develop soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90related skills to meet the challenges of food security and global change in the coming decades. The aim of this study was to identify professional profiles related to the management, conservation and restoration of agricultural soils on the basis of a European stakeholder survey and to relate these profiles to specific and generic skills. Stakeholders from 24 European countries, selected by the national hubs of the European Joint Programme on agricultural soil management, were invited to propose soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90related professional profiles that they considered important to develop over the next 20\uffe2\uff80\uff89years. They were then asked to identify up to 15 specific or generic skills that they considered necessary for each profile. In total, 299 stakeholders proposed 1\uffe2\uff80\uff933 professional profiles each, in 20 languages, for a total of 786 profiles ranging from the bachelor to doctoral level. After translation into English and grouping by expertise, 60 profiles were identified and classified as \uffe2\uff80\uff98traditional\uffe2\uff80\uff99, \uffe2\uff80\uff98specialised\uffe2\uff80\uff99 or \uffe2\uff80\uff98innovative\uffe2\uff80\uff99. Innovative profiles were related to the inclusion of soil in fields that do not currently provide soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90related education (e.g., communication, mediation, economics, law, land\uffe2\uff80\uff90use planning, architecture, data science). Correspondence analysis based on the number of times a skill was considered necessary for a given profile led to the grouping of the 60 initial profiles into 10 clusters of profiles that required similar skills: these 10 clusters of profiles were described, and their necessary skills were identified. The clusters illustrate the need to broaden the scope of soil science and the variety of professions that can address soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90related issues and require knowledge about soils. Ultimately, this list of soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90related professional profiles and their necessary skills could help revise existing higher\uffe2\uff80\uff90education curricula or create new curricula.Soils are key components of our ecosystems and provide 95%\uffe2\uff80\uff9399% of our food. This importance is reflected by an increase in participatory citizen science projects on soils. Citizen science is a participatory research method that actively involves and engages the public in scientific enquiry to generate new knowledge or understanding. Here, we review past and current citizen science projects on agricultural soils across Europe. We conducted a web\uffe2\uff80\uff90based survey and described 24 reviewed European citizen science projects in the light of the 10 principles of citizen science and identified success factors for citizen science. Over 66% of the projects generated soil biodiversity data; 54% and 42% of the projects generated data on vegetation cover and soil organic carbon, respectively. Our findings show that soil citizen science projects aligned with the 10 principles of citizen science offer an unexploited resource for European soil health research. We conclude that promoting co\uffe2\uff80\uff90creation, fostering knowledge\uffe2\uff80\uff90sharing networks and enabling long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term communication and commitment with citizens are success factors for further development of citizen science on soils.European soils are under increasing pressure, making it difficult to maintain the provision of soil ecosystem services (SESs). A better understanding of soil processes is needed to counteract soil threats (STs) and to promote sustainable soil management. The EJP SOIL programme of the EU provides a framework for the necessary research. However, different definitions of soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90related terms potentially lead to varied understandings of concepts. Furthermore, there are numerous indicators available to quantify STs or SESs. As unclear communication is a key barrier that hinders the implementation of research results into practice, this study aimed to answer the question about whether the terminology of large\uffe2\uff80\uff90scale initiatives is adequately understood within the soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90science community and non\uffe2\uff80\uff90research stakeholders. An online questionnaire was used to provide definitions for 33 soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90related terms in both scientific and plain language, as well as indicators for seven SESs and 11 STs. Participants were asked to rate their agreement with the definitions and indicators on a seven\uffe2\uff80\uff90grade Likert scale. The level of agreement was calculated as the percentage of ratings above 4, the neutral position. The survey was available from June to September 2023 and was distributed by a snowball approach. More than 260 stakeholders assessed the survey; 70% of respondents were researchers, and 15% were practitioners. Mean agreement levels for the definitions and indicators were generally high, at 85% and 78% respectively. However, it was apparent that the lowest agreement was found for terms that are relatively new, such as Ecosystem Services and Bundle, or unfamiliar for certain subgroups, such as ecological terms for stakeholders working at the farm scale. Due to their distinct majority, the results of this study primarily reflect the opinions of scientists. Thus, broad conclusions can only be drawn by comparing scientists with non\uffe2\uff80\uff90scientists. In this regard, the agreement was surprisingly high across all types of questions. The combined outcomes indicate that there is still a need to facilitate communication between stakeholders and to improve knowledge distribution strategies. Nevertheless, this study can support and be used by future projects and programmes, especially regarding the harmonization of terminology and methods.Sustainable agricultural soil management practices are key to restore, maintain and improve soil health. The European Joint Programme for SOIL (EJP SOIL) has identified twelve main soil challenges in Europe. To assess the potential and eventually increase the adoption of soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90improving management practices, it is necessary to know (i) the current levels of adoption of the practices, (ii) socio\uffe2\uff80\uff90technical barriers influencing their adoption, and (iii) their bio\uffe2\uff80\uff90physical limits. This study compiled an inventory of soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90improving management practices relevant to European conditions, and used a survey among soil scientists to assess the levels of adoption of these practices in Europe. In total, 53 soil management practices were identified that address one or several of the soil challenges. The adoption of most practices was low or spatially heterogeneous across Europe, highlighting region\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific limitations to sustainable soil management. Qualitative interviews were conducted to explore the importance of socio\uffe2\uff80\uff90technical aspects of adoption. Using conservation agriculture as an example, factors that can hinder adoption included the availability of knowledge and adequate machinery, financial risks, and farming traditions. Through a modelling approach, 54% of arable land in Europe was found to be suitable for cover cropping, indicating that the adoption of soil management practices is frequently limited by climatic constraints. We propose a region\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific approach that recognizes the importance of identifying and overcoming socio\uffe2\uff80\uff90technical barriers, and by acknowledging bio\uffe2\uff80\uff90physical limits that may be expanded by innovation.Multispectral imaging satellites such as Sentinel\uffe2\uff80\uff902 are considered a possible tool to assist in the mapping of soil organic carbon (SOC) using images of bare soil. However, the reported results are variable. The measured reflectance of the soil surface is not only related to SOC but also to several other environmental and edaphic factors. Soil texture is one such factor that strongly affects soil reflectance. Depending on the spatial correlation with SOC, the influence of soil texture may improve or hinder the estimation of SOC from spectral data. This study aimed to investigate these influences using local models at 34 sites in different pedo\uffe2\uff80\uff90climatic zones across 10 European countries. The study sites were individual agricultural fields or a few fields in close proximity. For each site, local models to predict SOC and the clay particle size fraction were developed using the Sentinel\uffe2\uff80\uff902 temporal mosaics of bare soil images. Overall, predicting SOC and clay was difficult, and prediction performances with a ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) >\uffe2\uff80\uff891.5 were observed at 8 and 12 of the 34 sites for SOC and clay, respectively. A general relationship between SOC prediction performance and the correlation of SOC and clay in soil was evident but explained only a small part of the large variability we observed in SOC prediction performance across the sites. Adding information on soil texture as additional predictors improved SOC prediction on average, but the additional benefit varied strongly between the sites. The average relative importance of the different Sentinel\uffe2\uff80\uff902 bands in the SOC and clay models indicated that spectral information in the red and far\uffe2\uff80\uff90red regions of the visible spectrum was more important for SOC prediction than for clay prediction. The opposite was true for the region around 2200\uffe2\uff80\uff89nm, which was more important in the clay models.Microbial transformation of soil organic matter plays a critical role in carbon (C) cycling making it essential to understand how land use and management practices influence microbial physiology and its connection to C dynamics. One factor that is likely to impact soil microbial physiology is crop diversification via its influence on belowground diversity (e.g., chemical heterogeneity of C inputs, microbial community composition). However, the effect of crop diversification measures on microbial physiology and potential effects on C cycling in agricultural soils is still unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we sampled topsoil from eight experimental sites covering different crop diversification measures across Europe (i.e., cover crops, ley farming, vegetation stripes). We used the 18O\uffe2\uff80\uff90labelling method to analyse microbial C use efficiency (CUE), growth, respiration and biomass C. Additionally, a second sampling at five selected sites examined whether the growing season influenced the impact of crop diversification. Meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis revealed no overall effect of crop diversification on CUE, microbial activity, biomass or soil organic C (SOC). However, the effects varied with the type of diversification measure: cover crops did not affect carbon processing, vegetation stripes increased microbial activity, and ley farming enhanced CUE. The largest variation in CUE was observed between samplings at the same sites, indicating seasonal dynamics. Temperature, precipitation and photosynthetically active radiation predicted seasonal variation in CUE (R2\uffe2\uff80\uff89=\uffe2\uff80\uff890.36). While cover crops did not significantly impact C storage in our study, both ley farming and vegetation stripes increased SOC. The overall effect of crop diversification on SOC seems to be decoupled from highly temporally variable CUE in the bulk soil and rather relate to C\uffe2\uff80\uff90inputs. Munoz et\u00a0al. (2024) raised concerns regarding our recent contribution and the definition of the term C sequestration in soils (Don et\u00a0al., 2024). We performed a review and therefore based our analysis on existing definitions of C sequestrations, mainly by the IPCC. We recommend sticking with terminologies around C sequestration and climate mitigation, as outlined in our review, in order to keep it consistent and manageable.
Abstract. The Bocage in the western part of Europe is an ancient rural landscape characterized by a network of hedgerows. The system studied here consists of hedges growing on earth and stone banks, which are found in the Armorican Massif (western France). Seven sites were analysed, which represented a large, but not complete, set of situations. We investigated the influence of hedges parallel to contour lines on soil characteristics, soil profile morphology and carbon storage at the hillslope scale. The analysis is based on a morphological description of the soil catena from the top of the hill to downslope of the hedge, and on measurements of bulk density and organic carbon in different soil profiles on the slopes. The results show that thickness of the organic horizon increases slowly from the top of the hill as far as the hedge, whereas under the hedge the bulk density is low and the soil organic carbon (SOC) storage large. Two effects of the hedges on SOC storage are apparent, namely, a local effect under the hedge, due to tree activity, and an anti\uffe2\uff80\uff90erosive effect at the hillslope scale. A rough approximation based on these data assessed the fraction of SOC storage attributed to the hedge network of between 13 and 38% of the total carbon stock.
", "keywords": ["statistical method", "organic carbon", "massif armoricain", "stockage", "\u00e9rosion", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "[SDV.SA.SDS]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "hedge", "densit\u00e9 en place", "15. Life on land", "TENEUR EN CARBONE DU SOL", "bocage", "horizon", "storage", "carbone organique", "soil organic matter", "armorican massif", "m\u00e9thode statistique", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "haie", "[SDV.SA.SDS] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "mati\u00e8re organique du sol"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2003.tb00305.x"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20Use%20and%20Management", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/j.1475-2743.2003.tb00305.x", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/j.1475-2743.2003.tb00305.x", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2003.tb00305.x"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2003-09-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/j.1475-2743.2008.00176.x", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-08-26T16:18:02Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2009-02-25", "title": "Effects Of Four Tillage Systems On Soil Structure And Soil Microbial Biomass In Organic Farming", "description": "AbstractTillage modifies soil structure and crop residue distribution and in turn affects the ability of soil micro\uffe2\uff80\uff90organisms to degrade soil organic matter and release nutrients for crop growth. In organic farming, soil microbiological activity is of primary importance as nutrient supply is mainly dependent on the degradation of soil organic matter by soil micro\uffe2\uff80\uff90organisms. The aim of this work was therefore to study, in organic farming, the effects of four tillage systems [mouldboard ploughing (MP), shallow mouldboard ploughing (SMP), reduced tillage (RT) and shallow soil tillage (ST)] on soil structure, soil microbial biomass (SMB) and its potential activity (Cmin) during the first year following the treatments. To study simultaneously the effects of soil structure modifications and crop residue distribution on SMB and Cmin, we adopted a sampling scheme based on a morphological description of soil profiles. We distinguished and sampled compacted and non\uffe2\uff80\uff90compacted clods (\uffce\uff94 and \uffce\uff93 clods) at three depths (0\uffe2\uff80\uff935, 5\uffe2\uff80\uff9315 and 15\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffe2\uff80\uff83cm). This method enabled us to have a precise estimation of the effects of tillage treatments on SMB and Cmin. MP reduced compacted zones and limited unfavourable conditions for microbial growth and enabled a homogenous distribution of SMB in the soil profile. At the opposite, the ST increased compacted zones in the soil profile and limited SMB development below the top few centimetres. The SMP and the RT systems appeared as intermediate techniques. RT seemed to be a conservation tillage technique which could be used in organic farming.
", "keywords": ["TILLAGE SYSTEMS", "2. Zero hunger", "SOIL STRUCTURE", "SOIL MICROBIAL BIOMASS", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "ORGANIC FARMING", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "[SDV.SA.SDS]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "15. Life on land", "[SDV.SA.SDS] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "630"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2008.00176.x"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20Use%20and%20Management", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/j.1475-2743.2008.00176.x", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/j.1475-2743.2008.00176.x", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2008.00176.x"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2009-02-25T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "11381/2862358", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-08-26T16:22:26Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-08-22", "title": "Modeling of Soil Functions for Assessing Soil Quality: Soil Biodiversity and Habitat Provisioning", "description": "Soil biodiversity and habitat provisioning is one of the soil functions that agricultural land provides to society. This paper describes assessment of the soil biodiversity function (SB function) as a proof of concept to be used in a decision support tool for agricultural land management. The SB function is defined as \u201cthe multitude of soil organisms and processes, interacting in an ecosystem, providing society with a rich biodiversity source and contributing to a habitat for aboveground organisms.\u201d So far, no single measure provides the full overview of the soil biodiversity and how a soil supports a habitat for a biodiverse ecosystem. We have assembled a set of attributes for a proxy-indicator system, based on four \u201cintegrated attributes\u201d: (1) soil nutrient status, (2) soil biological status, (3) soil structure, and (4) soil hydrological status. These attributes provide information to be used in a model for assessing the capacity of a soil to supply the SB function. A multi-criteria decision model was developed which comprises of 34 attributes providing information to quantify the four integrated attributes and subsequently assess the SB function for grassland and for cropland separately. The model predictions (in terms of low\u2014moderate\u2014high soil biodiversity status) were compared with expert judgements for a collection of 137 grassland soils in the Netherlands and 52 French soils, 29 grasslands, and 23 croplands. For both datasets, the results show that the proposed model predictions were statistically significantly correlated with the expert judgements. A sensitivity analysis indicated that the soil nutrient status, defined by attributes such as pH and organic carbon content, was the most important integrated attribute in the assessment of the SB function. Further progress in the assessment of the SB function is needed. This can be achieved by better information regarding land use and farm management. In this way we may make a valuable step in our attempts to optimize the multiple soil functions in agricultural landscapes, and hence the multifaceted role of soils to deliver a bundle of ecosystem services for farmers and citizens, and support land management and policy toward a more sustainable society.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "570", "land management", "soil biodiversity", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "[SDV.SA.SDS]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "15. Life on land", "habitat provisioning", "630", "ecosystem service", "[SDE.BE] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology", "Europe", "Environmental sciences", "soil function", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "GE1-350", "[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology", "qualitative modeling", "[SDV.SA.SDS] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/11381/2862358"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Frontiers%20in%20Environmental%20Science", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "11381/2862358", "name": "item", "description": "11381/2862358", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/11381/2862358"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-08-22T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.17169/refubium-31202", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-08-26T16:18:40Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-05-21", "title": "Global data on earthworm abundance, biomass, diversity and corresponding environmental properties", "description": "AbstractEarthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties. Datasets were required, at a minimum, to include abundance or biomass of earthworms at a site. Where possible, site-level species lists were included, as well as the abundance and biomass of individual species and ecological groups. This global dataset contains 10,840 sites, with 184 species, from 60 countries and all continents except Antarctica. The data were obtained from 182 published articles, published between 1973 and 2017, and 17 unpublished datasets. Amalgamating data into a single global database will assist researchers in investigating and answering a wide variety of pressing questions, for example, jointly assessing aboveground and belowground biodiversity distributions and drivers of biodiversity change.
", "keywords": ["2401.17 Invertebrados", "0301 basic medicine", "592", "Data Descriptor", "Ecology and Evolutionary Biology", "earthworms", "Data Descriptor ; Biodiversity ; Biogeography ; Community ecology", "Plan_S-Compliant-OA", "https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6", "[SDV.EE.ECO] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology", " environment/Ecosystems", "Diversity data", "Biomass", "S Agriculture (General)", "Ekologia ja evoluutiobiologia", "[SDV.SA.SDS] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "biodiversity", "2. Zero hunger", "maaper\u00e4", "abundance", "Data", "Diversity", "0303 health sciences", "Ecology", "Q", "eli\u00f6yhteis\u00f6t", "Biodiversity", "maaper\u00e4eli\u00f6st\u00f6", "ddc:", "Computer Science Applications", "Biogeography", "2401.06 Ecolog\u00eda animal", "international", "Statistics", " Probability and Uncertainty", "environment/Ecosystems", "Information Systems", "Statistics and Probability", "Ecolog\u00eda (Biolog\u00eda)", "570", "lierot", "Science", "Invertebrados", "577", "Global database", "[SDV.SA.SDS]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "Library and Information Sciences", "574", "333", "soil", "eli\u00f6maantiede", "Education", "diversity", "03 medical and health sciences", "[SDV.EE.ECO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology", " environment/Ecosystems", "BIODIVERSITY CHANGE", "Life Science", "Earthworms", "Datasets", "Animals", "Community ecology", "Oligochaeta", "https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1", "eartworm", "biogeography", "Ecosystem", "LAND-USE", "biomass", "500", "Biology and Life Sciences", "PLATFORM", "Global dataset", "Oligochaeta/classification", "500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik::570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie::570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie", "Ecolog\u00eda", "15. Life on land", "biodiversiteetti", "Environmental sciences", "[SDE.BE] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology", "maaper\u00e4el\u00e4imist\u00f6", "Ecology", " evolutionary biology", "13. Climate action", "Earthworm", "[SDV.EE.ECO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology", "570 Life sciences; biology", "[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology", "eartworm ; abundance ; biomass ; diversity", "COMMUNITIES", "community ecology"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-021-00912-z.pdf"}, {"href": "https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/25868/1/phillips_h_r_p_et_al_211019.pdf"}, {"href": "https://boris.unibe.ch/165726/1/48.__Global_data_on_earthworm_abundance__biomass__diversity_and_corresponding_environmental_properties.pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.iris.unict.it/bitstream/20.500.11769/509583/1/SCIENTIFIC%20DATA%20%282021%29%20GLOBAL%20DATA%20ON%20EARTHWORMS.pdf"}, {"href": "https://rau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/16454/1/Phillips_et_al-2021-Scientific_Data.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.17169/refubium-31202"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Scientific%20Data", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.17169/refubium-31202", "name": "item", "description": "10.17169/refubium-31202", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.17169/refubium-31202"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2021-05-21T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.2136/sssaj2015.03.0097", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-08-26T16:19:05Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2015-07-10", "title": "From Real Soils to 3D-Printed Soils: Reproduction of Complex Pore Network at the Real Size in a Silty-Loam Soil", "description": "Pore complexity and micro-heterogeneity are pivotal in characterizing biogeochemical processes in soils. Recent advances in X-ray computed microtomography (microCT) allow the 3D soil morphology characterization of undisturbed samples, although its geometrical reproduction at very small spatial scales is still challenging. Here, by combining X-ray microCT with 3D multijet printing technology, we aimed to evaluate the reproducibility of 3D-printing soil structures at the original scale with a resolution of 80 \u03bcm and compare the hydraulic properties of original soil samples with those obtained from the soil-like prototypes. Results showed that soil-like prototypes were similar to the original samples in terms of total porosity and pore shape. By contrast the pore connectivity was reduced by incomplete wax removal from pore cavities after the 3D printing procedure. Encouraging results were also obtained in terms of hydraulic conductivity since measurements were successfully conducted on five out of six samples, showing positive correlation with experimental data. We are confident that future developments of 3D-printing technologies and of their combination with microCT will help to further the understanding of soil micro-heterogeneity and its effects on soil-water dynamics.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "[SDE.ES] Environmental Sciences/Environment and Society", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "[SDV.SA.SDS] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "Soil structure", " 3D Print; X-ray microtomography", " water permeability"], "contacts": [{"organization": "DAL FERRO, NICOLA, MORARI, FRANCESCO,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.research.unipd.it/bitstream/11577/3188605/4/Dal%20Ferro_From%20real%20soils%20to%203D%20printed%20soils_2015.pdf"}, {"href": "http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.2136/sssaj2015.03.0097/fullpdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2015.03.0097"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20Science%20Society%20of%20America%20Journal", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.2136/sssaj2015.03.0097", "name": "item", "description": "10.2136/sssaj2015.03.0097", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.2136/sssaj2015.03.0097"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2015-07-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.22541/au.167655684.49855023/v1", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"license": "Open Access", "updated": "2026-08-26T16:19:07Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-02-16", "title": "Global change and their environmental stressors have a significant impact on soil biodiversity -- a meta-analysis", "description": "Anthropogenic global changes are impacting biodiversity, however, many previous meta-analyses investigating the impact of different global changes on biodiversity have omitted soil fauna, or are limited in the scope of the global changes studied. Threats to soil biodiversity by global changes need to be understood to mitigate effects on ecosystem services provided by soils. We conducted a meta-analysis using 3,173 effect sizes from 627 publications focused on six global changes (climate change, land-use intensification, pollution, nutrient enrichment, invasive species, and habitat fragmentation) and their associated environmental stressors on soil fauna. We classified stressors as either pulse (short-term, acute) or press (long-term, chronic) stressors, and expected pulse stressors to have less impact on soil biodiversity due to buffering effects of the soil. Unexpectedly, pollution caused the largest loss in soil fauna communities, which is worrying due to continually increasing levels of pollution, as well as the poor mechanistic understanding of pollution impacts. There was no clear pattern of pulse stressors having a smaller impact on soil biodiversity than press stressors. Overall, this work shows the importance of including soil biodiversity in large-scale global change analyses, as soil organisms often do not show the same responses as organisms above-ground.
Healthy soil is vital for our wellbeing and wealth. However, increasing demand for food and biomass may lead to unsustainable soil and land management practices that threaten soils. Other degradation processes such as soil sealing also endanger soil resources. Identifying and accessing the best available knowledge is crucial to address related sustainability issues and promote the needed transition towards sustainable soil and land management practices. Such knowledge has to cover all knowledge domains, system knowledge, target knowledge, and transformation knowledge. However, a comprehensive overview of existing research addressing societal needs related to soil is still missing, which hinders the identification of knowledge gaps. This study provides a detailed analysis of scientific literature to identify ongoing research activities and trends. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of scientific literature related to sustainable soil and land management was conducted. A systems-oriented analytical framework was used that combines soil and land related societal challenges with related knowledge domains. Our analysis revealed a significant increase in scientific publications and related interest in soil and land use-related research, above the average increase of publications within all scientific fields. Different forms of reduction and remediation of soil degradation processes (e.g. erosion, contamination) have been studied most extensively. Other topic areas like land take mitigation, soil biodiversity increase, increase of ecosystem services provision and climate change mitigation and adaption seem to be rather recent concerns, less investigated. We could highlight the importance of context-specific research, as different regions require different practices. For instance, boreal, tropical, karst and peatland regions were less studied. Furthermore, we found that diversifying soil management practices such as agroforestry or including livestock into arable systems are valuable options for increasing biomass, mitigating/adapting to climate change, and improving soil related ecosystem services. A recent trend towards the latter research topic indicates the transition from a soil conservation-oriented perspective to a soil service-oriented perspective, which may be better suited to integrate the social and economic dimensions of soil health improvement alongside the ecological dimension.
Increasing attention has been placed on the agroecological impact of applying exogenous organic matter (EOM) amendments, such as green waste compost (GWC) and livestock manure, to agricultural landscapes. However, monitoring the frequency and locality of this practice poses a major challenge, as these events are typically unreported. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of Sentinel-2 imagery for the detection of EOM amendments. Specifically, we investigated the spectral shift resulting from GWC and manure application at two spatial scales, satellite and proximal. At the satellite scale, multispectral Sentinel-2 image pairs were analyzed before and after EOM application to six cultivated fields in the Versailles Plain, France. At the proximal scale, multi-temporal spectral field measurements were taken of experimental plots consisting of 14 total treatments: EOM variety, amendment quantity (15, 30 and 60 t.ha\u22121) and tillage. The Sentinel-2 images showed significant spectral differences before and after EOM application. Exogenous Organic Matter Indices (EOMI) were developed and analyzed for separative performance. The best performing index was EOMI2, using the B4 and B12 Sentinel-2 spectral bands. At the proximal scale, simulated Sentinel-2 reflectance spectra, which were created using field measurements, successfully monitored all EOM treatments for three days, except for the buried green waste compost at a rate of 15 t.ha\u22121.
Carbon sequestration has become a buzz word and generates large expectations on ecosystems to take up carbon (C) from the atmosphere. These so-called negative emissions could compensate greenhouse gas emissions and help to stabilise the global climate.  However, the term C sequestration is often misleadingly used fostering biased conclusions and exaggerated expectations. C sequestration is defined as net uptake of C from the atmosphere. Soils have a particularly large potential to take up C yet many soils currently continuously loose C. Measures to build up soil C may only reduce soil C losses (C loss mitigation) but will not result in a net C sequestration. While checking 100 recent papers we found only 5% correctly using the term C sequestration. Even worse, 13% of the papers used C sequestration equivalent to soil C stocks. Here we call for a rigorous and concise use of the term C sequestration and discuss implications of misleading applications.
The allocation of metabolised carbon (C) between soil microbial growth and respiration, i.e. C use efficiency (CUE) is crucial for SOC dynamics. The pH was shown to be a major driver of microbial CUE in agricultural soils and therefore, management practices to control soil pH, such as liming, could serve as a tool to modify microbial physiology. We hypothesised that raising soil pH would alleviate CUE-limiting conditions and that liming could thus increase CUE, thereby supporting SOC accrual. This study investigated whether CUE can be manipulated by liming and how this might contribute to SOC stock changes. The effects of liming on CUE, microbial biomass C, abundance of microbial domains, SOC stocks and OC inputs were assessed for soils from three European long-term field experiments. Field control soils were additionally limed in the laboratory to assess immediate effects, accounting for lime-derived CO2 emissions (δ13C signature). The shift in soil pHH2O from 4.5 to 7.3 with long-term liming reduced CUE by 40%, whereas the shift from 5.5 to 8.6 and from 6.5 to 7.8 was associated with increases in CUE by 16% and 24%, respectively. The overall relationship between CUE and soil pH followed a U-shaped (i.e. quadratic) curve, implying that in agricultural soils CUE may be lowest at pHH2O = 6.4. The immediate CUE response to liming followed the same trends. Interestingly, liming increased microbial biomass C in all cases. Changes in CUE with long-term liming contributed to the net effect of liming on SOC stocks. Our study confirms the value of liming as a management practice for climate-smart agriculture, but demonstrates that it remains difficult to predict the impact on SOC stocks due its complex effects on the C cycle.
The potential for soil carbon (C) sequestration strongly depends on the availability of plant biomass inputs, making its efficient use critical for designing net zero strategies. Here, we compared different biomass processing pathways and quantified the long-term effect of the resulting exogenous organic materials (EOMs) on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage. We estimated C losses during feed digestion of plant material, storage of manure, composting and anaerobic digestion of plant material and manure, and pyrolysis of plant material based on literature values. Then we applied the widely used SOC model RothC with newly developed parameters to quantify SOC storage efficiency, i.e., accounting for both processing losses and decomposition losses, of the different EOMs. Based on simulations for a 39-year long cropland trial in Switzerland, we found that the SOC storage efficiency is higher for plant material directly added to the soil (16 %) compared to digestate and manure (3 % and 5 % respectively). For compost, the effect was less clear (2 % ̶ 18 %; mean: 10 %) due to a high uncertainty in C-losses during composting. In the case of biochar, 43 % of the initial plant C remained in the soil, due to its high intrinsic stability despite C-losses of 54 % during pyrolysis. To provide robust recommendations for optimal biomass use, additional considerations such as nutrient availability of EOMs, environmental impacts of soil application, and life cycle assessments for the entire production processes should be included.