{"type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [{"id": "10.1016/j.iswcr.2024.10.002", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:16:22Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2024-10-09", "title": "Visible, near-infrared, and shortwave-infrared spectra as an input variable for digital mapping of soil organic carbon", "description": "This study proposes a novel methodology to employ discrete point spectra as input variable for digital mapping of soil organic carbon (SOC). Accordingly, two SOC modeling approaches were used in three agricultural sites in Czech Republic: i) machine learning (ML) including partial least squares regression (PLSR), cubist, random forest (RF), and support vector regression (SVR), and ii) regression kriging (RK) by the combination of ordinary kriging (OK) and PLSR (PLSR-K), cubist (cubist-K), RF (RF-K), and SVR (SVR-K). Models were developed on environmental predictor covariates (EPCs) and thirty genetic algorithms (GA)-selected visible, near-infrared, and shortwave-infrared (VNIR\u2013SWIR) wavelengths spectra, individually and combined. Thirty rasters were then created using interpolation of the selected spectra and served as the input variables \u2013 with and without EPCs \u2013 to test and compare the developed models and SOC predictive maps with each other and with those retrieved from the third approach: iii) kriging using OK of the measured and ML-predicted SOC. The impact of employing selected wavelengths\u2019 spectra and EPCs on models' performance was investigated using independent test samples and the uncertainty associated with the produced maps. Using interpolated spectra as the only input variable yielded a relatively acceptable accuracy (Nov\u00e1 Ves: RMSE\u00a0=\u00a00.19%, \u00dadrnice: RMSE\u00a0=\u00a00.12%, Klu\u010dov: RMSE\u00a0=\u00a00.13%). In comparison, the interpolated spectra coupled with EPCs enhanced the results. Regarding the uncertainty, however, the ML-based SOC maps were more reliable, than RK-based ones. Furthermore, maps produced using both spectra and EPCs showed less uncertainty than those constructed on the individual datasets.", "keywords": ["SOC modeling and mapping", "Regression kriging", "EJP SOIL", "ProbeField", "550", "Interpolated spectra", "EJPSOIL", "Machine learning", "Uncertainty", "TA1-2040", "Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2024.10.002"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/International%20Soil%20and%20Water%20Conservation%20Research", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.iswcr.2024.10.002", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.iswcr.2024.10.002", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.iswcr.2024.10.002"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2025-03-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116636", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:16:19Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-08-11", "title": "Exploitation of the SoilPRO\u00ae (SP) apparatus to measure soil surface reflectance in the field: Five case studies", "description": "The SoilPRO\u00ae (SP) is an assembly designed to acquire soil reflectance information in the field without disturbing the soil surface, and regardless of atmospheric and solar radiation conditions. This paper summarizes five case studies in which the SP assembly was used for different applications. The case studies consisted of: (1) generating surface spectral measurements under any atmospheric condition; (2) comparing the performance of the SP to the traditional bare fiber method for vicarious calibration of hyperspectral satellite sensors; (3) assessing water repellency of a soil surface governed by organic matter hydrophobicity; (4) spatial prediction of the rate of water infiltration into the soil profile as governed by the soil surface seal; and (5) using the SP apparatus to measure soil surface reflectance in South Shetland Island, Antartica under severe weather conditions. The case studies included calculation of spectral quality, prediction accuracy and measurement stability. The paper discusses each of the cases in detail and concludes that the SP (or similar assembly) is the best way to measure the reflectance of the original soil surface in the field. In the first case study, the spectrum collected by the SP under daily changing illumination was shown to be stable relative to the traditional measurement methods of contact probe or bare fiber. The second case study indicated that use of the SP for vicarious calibration is much more efficient (in terms of time and stability) than ground-truth practice over a large area, and in the third case study, the SP was able to assess a soil surface property governed by organic matter hydrophobicity better than the contact probe, which destroys the soil surface organic seal. A similar achievement was gained in the fourth case study, providing a better assessment of the water-infiltration rate into the soil. In the fifth case study, the SP demonstrated impressive high-quality acquisition of soil surface reflectance with a very low sun angle over the South Pole. Based on these case studies and the high quality of the data generated by the SP in the field, we suggest building, in parallel to the classical soil spectral libraries generated in the laboratory, field soil spectral libraries that will preserve the soil surface properties scanned in the field. We anticipate the development of more applications for the SP assembly based on the capabilities shown in this paper.", "keywords": ["EJP SOIL", "ProbeField", "Field measurements", "Science", "Soil reflectance", "EJPSOIL", "Q", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "01 natural sciences", "SoilPRO", "Soil surface properties", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116636"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Geoderma", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116636", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116636", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116636"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-10-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116920", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:16:19Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2024-05-24", "title": "A standard and protocol for in-situ measurement of surface soil reflectance", "description": "This study introduces an innovative standard and protocol approach for accurate assessment and harmonization of undisturbed soil surface spectra under field conditions, achieving laboratory-grade precision, while minimizing systematic discrepancies. The SoilPRO\u00ae assembly was employed for its efficacy in precisely measuring seven different soil samples under similar field and laboratory conditions in six different laboratories. While some discrepancies were noted in and between field and laboratory measurements, aligning the laboratory measurements with a reference sample, Lucky Bay (LB) internal soil standard (ISS), significantly reduced variations across different laboratory settings. A similar approach was employed to align field spectra using a field ISS (FISS), which could be practically applied in the field and adjusted to the laboratory reference LB before utilization. Correcting to the FISS facilitated the alignment of field reflectance among the six laboratories and closely matched with laboratory ISS measurements adjusted to the LB standard. This alignment of field reflectance with ISS-corrected laboratory measurements represents a ground-breaking achievement in field soil spectroscopy, which suffers from instabilities. It not only ensures preservation of the soil surface condition in the field, but also enables objective comparisons with all soil spectral libraries (SSLs) measurements and robust harmonization of field spectral data from different sources. The suggested method masks out technical aspects of spectral measurements in the field and prepares the signals to be analyzed for the physicochemical characteristics of the soil surface. The current study marks the first use of a controlled method for soil-surface spectroscopy measurements, opening a path for the construction of in-situ field SSLs. This advancement represents a significant step toward obtaining more accurate and standardized soil analyses of diverse surface properties under field conditions.", "keywords": ["EJP SOIL", "ProbeField", "EJPSOIL", "Science", "Q", "Field soil reflectance", "Field protocol", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Field spectral harmonization", "Filed soil spectral library", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "01 natural sciences", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116920"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Geoderma", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116920", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116920", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116920"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2024-07-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116962", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:16:19Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2024-07-06", "title": "Disentangling soil-based ecosystem services synergies, trade-offs, multifunctionality, and bundles: A case study at regional scale (NE Italy) to support environmental planning", "description": "The explicit use of ecosystem services (ESs) assessments has been called as a way to guide environmental decision making, yet the promise of the ES approach lies behind its potential. A way to consolidate the approach could be to introduce some aspects into the ESs assessments which might have been neglected so far. Such aspects are mainly: (1) a focus on the complex ESs relations (such as synergies and trade-offs) that can impact the supply of multiple SESs (soil ecosystem services), and (2) focus on potential drivers of SESs relations. We applied bivariate and multivariate approaches to SESs indicators derived from a solid pedological knowledge of the Emilia-Romagna study area in NE Italy. We focused on 7 SES: (1) habitat for soil organisms, (2) filtering and buffering capacity, (3) contribution to microclimate regulation, (4) carbon sequestration, (5) food provision potential, (6) water regulation, and (7) water storage capacity. These SESs were estimated through a combination of point observations, and pedotransfer functions (PTF) estimates spatialised over the area of interest with geostatistical simulation techniques. We found that SESs bivariate spatial relations could be categorised mainly in three types of patterns at regional scale, either: (1) synergistic SESs relations dominating at the region level, (2) trade-offs dominating, or (3) both kind of relations more or less equally frequent. Interestingly, in some cases the dominant regional SESs relation switched at a local level, and such switch was driven by soil properties. For the multivariate case (>2 SESs), two main results are highlighted. First, the combination of properties of some soils is so characteristic that they conform a single SESs bundle, as in the case of the rich SOM soils of alluvial origin in the NE of the region with low agricultural productivity, but high value in regulating SESs. Secondly, some SESs such as potential food provision and water regulation are more important than others to determine locations with high multi-services value at a regional level. This suggests that attention must be paid when ascribing high multi-services value locations as this is not independent of SESs relations. Overall, our results highlight the importance of soils in the potential supply of ESs and show that SESs relations are useful in the implementation of the concept in environmental assessments.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Soil multifunctionality index", "Science", "Q", "15. Life on land", "Bivariate local indicators of spatial association", "01 natural sciences", "Soil-based ecosystem services relations", "6. Clean water", "EJPSoil", "WP3", "SERENA project", "Ecosystem services relations\u2019 drivers", "Grant Agreement: 862695", "Pedo-landscapes; Soil multifunctionality index; Soil-based ecosystem services relations; Bivariate local indicators of spatial association; SES k-means clustering; Ecosystem services relations\u2019 drivers", "Ecosystem services relations' drivers", "SES k-means clustering", "bundle", "Pedo-landscapes", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Medina-Roldan, Eduardo, Lorenzetti, Romina, Calzolari, Costanza, UNGARO, FABRIZIO,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://iris.cnr.it/bitstream/20.500.14243/532230/1/1-s2.0-S0016706124001915-main.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116962"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Geoderma", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116962", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116962", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116962"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2024-08-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.geodrs.2023.e00716", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:16:20Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-09-27", "title": "Stakeholders' point of view on access to soil knowledge in France. What are the opportunities for further improvement?", "description": "Life on earth depends on soil health. However, soils are threatened across the world. To respond to the challenges posed by climate change and soil degradation, there is a need to better integrate scientific soil knowledge into the practice. The aim of this paper is to better understand the access to soil knowledge in France and identify opportunities for further improvement, with a particular focus on the difference of point of view between six categories of stakeholders. This study is based on 1951 responses from a participatory stakeholders\u2019 consultation we conducted in France. Our results showed that most stakeholders considered the knowledge they have access to as not adapted to their needs. They also expressed that knowledge sharing between stakeholders was not sufficient. To improve access to soil knowledge, stakeholders suggested adapting at the territorial level the content of soil knowledge shared and transferred, as well as improving ways of sharing and transfer soil knowledge. Additionally, stakeholders valued different exchange networks based on their type of knowledge. Stakeholders with more theoretical soil knowledge (public authorities, NGOs, researchers) stated being more interested in networks between policy, science and society. However, networks with farmers and advisors were more favored by stakeholders with empirical soil knowledge. Considering our findings, in order to strengthen knowledge transfer and sharing, we encourage the promotion of the profession of scientific mediator, as well as the implementation of Living Labs and Lighthouse farms to bring together various stakeholders at a local level towards innovation, training and education. This will ensure a transition towards a more sustainable soil management in Europe.", "keywords": ["multi-actor consultation", "partage des connaissances", "[SDE] Environmental Sciences", "vision des acteurs", "Knowledge sharing", "consultation multi-acteurs", "visi\u00f3n de los actores", "Exchange networks", "consulta multiactor", "Knowledge transfer", "stakeholder perspective.", "333", "12. Responsible consumption", "intercambio de conocimientos", "transfert de connaissances", "sant\u00e9 des sols", "EJPSOIL", "Soil health", "11. Sustainability", "[SDV.SA.SDS] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "transferencia de conocimientos", "2. Zero hunger", "salud de los suelos", "soil health", "9. Industry and infrastructure", "4. Education", "15. Life on land", "knowledge transfer", "16. Peace & justice", "exchange networks", "r\u00e9seaux d'\u00e9changes", "Multi-actor consultation", "6. Clean water", "13. Climate action", "[SDE]Environmental Sciences", "8. Economic growth", "redes de intercambio", "Stakeholder perspective", "knowledge sharing"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Mason, Elo\u00efse, Cornu, Sophie, Chenu, Claire,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2023.e00716"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Geoderma%20Regional", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.geodrs.2023.e00716", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.geodrs.2023.e00716", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.geodrs.2023.e00716"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-12-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.mex.2023.102411", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:16:31Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-10-02", "title": "Meta-analysis protocol on the effects of cover crops on pool specific soil organic carbon", "description": "Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays an important role in agricultural soils, as it contributes to overall soil health as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation. By conducting a meta-analysis, we aim to quantitatively summarize research studying the effects of cover crops (CC) on SOC pools throughout soil depths in arable cropland. We included global studies located in the climatic zones present in Europe. The pools chosen for this analysis are the particulate organic carbon (POC) and the mineral associated organic carbon (MAOC) and the microbial biomass carbon (MBC). Alongside, we will study the effects of a broad range of moderators, such as pedo-climatic factors, other agricultural management practices and CC characteristics e.g., type. We identified 71 relevant studies from 61 articles, of which mean values for SOC pools, standard deviations and sample sizes for treatments (CC) and controls (no CC) were extracted. To perform the meta-analysis, an effect size will be calculated for each study, which will then be summarized across studies by using weighing procedure. Consequently, this meta-analysis will provide valuable information on the state of knowledge on SOC pool change influenced by CC, corresponding quantitative summary results and the sources of heterogeneity influencing these results.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "MBC", "synthesis", "MAOC", "Science", "Q", "610", "15. Life on land", "Effect size", "SOC pools", "630", "Meta-analysis protocol", "13. Climate action", "Agricultural and Biological Science", "EJPSOIL", "POC"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2023.102411"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/MethodsX", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.mex.2023.102411", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.mex.2023.102411", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.mex.2023.102411"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-01-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/ejss.13488", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:18:28Z", "type": "Journal Article", "title": "Effectiveness of soil management strategies for mitigation of N 2 O emissions in European arable land: A meta\u2010analysis", "description": "Soil management strategies involving the application of organic matter (OM) inputs (crop residues, green and livestock manure, slurry, digestate, compost and biochar) can increase soil carbon storage but simultaneously lead to an increase in non-CO2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions such as N2O. Although multiple meta-analyses have been conducted on the topic of OM input impacts on GHG, none has focused specifically on European arable soils. This study plugs this gap and can assist policymakers in steering European agriculture in a more sustainable direction. The objective of this meta-analysis was to quantify how OM inputs of different nature and quality, but also the application strategy, can mitigate soil N2O emissions in different pedoclimatic conditions in Europe. We quantitatively synthesised the results of over 50 field experiments conducted in 15 European countries. Diverse arable crops, mainly cereals, were cultivated in monoculture or in crop rotations on mineral soils. Cumulative N2O emissions were monitored during periods of 30\u20131070 days in treatments, which received OM inputs, alone or in combination with mineral N fertiliser; and in controls fertilised with mineral N. The overall effect of OM inputs had a slight tendency to reduce N2O emissions by 10% (n = 53). With the increasing carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of the OM inputs, this mitigation effect became more pronounced. In particular, compost and biochar significantly reduced N2O emissions by 25% (n = 6) and 33% (n = 8) respectively. However, their effect strongly depended on pedoclimatic characteristics. Regarding the other types of OM inputs studied, a slight N2O emission reduction can be achieved by their application alone, without mineral N fertiliser (by 16%, n = 17). In contrast, their co-application with mineral N fertiliser elevated emissions to some extent compared to the control (by 14%, n = 22). We conclude that amongst the seven OM inputs studied, the application of compost and biochar are the most promising soil management practices, ...", "keywords": ["nitrous oxide", "effect size", "EJPSOIL", "organic matter inputs", "pedoclimatic characteristics", "630", "climate change mitigation"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Valkama, Elena, Tzemi, Domna, Esparza\u2010Robles, Ulises Ramon, Syp, Alina, O'Toole, Adam, Maenhout, Peter,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13488"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/European%20Journal%20of%20Soil%20Science", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/ejss.13488", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/ejss.13488", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/ejss.13488"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"null": "date"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.still.2024.106125", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:17:07Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2024-04-26", "title": "On the impact of soil texture on local scale organic carbon quantification: From airborne to spaceborne sensing domains", "description": "Soil organic carbon (SOC) distribution and interaction with light is influenced by soil texture parameters (clay, silt and sand), which makes SOC prediction complicated, especially in samples with considerable pedological variability. Hence, understanding the relationship between SOC and soil texture is important within the context of SOC prediction using remote sensing data. The main objective of this study was to find the impact of soil texture on the performance of local SOC prediction models that were developed on Sentinel-2 (S2) multispectral and CASI/SASI (CS) hyperspectral airborne data as the main predictor variables. One approach to that objective was to lower the texture variance by stratification of the samples. Therefore, soil samples collected from four agricultural sites in the Czech Republic were segregated based on the i) site-based and ii) texture-based stratification strategies. Random forest (RF) models were then developed on all stratified classes with and without considering the soil texture parameters as predictor variables and results were compared with those obtained by the RF models developed on the non-stratified (NS) samples. Both stratification strategies provided more homogeneous classes, which enhanced the accuracy of SOC prediction, compared to using the NS samples. In addition, the texture-based RF models yielded higher accuracy predictions than the site-based ones. Except for sand, adding texture parameters to the main predictors improved the accuracy of the models, so that the highest prediction performance was obtained by a texture-based model developed on clay-added CS data. Overall, texture-based stratification could significantly enhance the SOC prediction, when the texture parameters were added to the S2 and CS data as the main predictor variables.", "keywords": ["EJP SOIL", "550", "Airborne hyperspectral data", "STEROPES", "Soil organic carbon", "Soil texture", "EJPSOIL", "Sentinel-2", "Stratification"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2024.106125"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20and%20Tillage%20Research", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.still.2024.106125", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.still.2024.106125", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.still.2024.106125"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2024-09-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/ejss.13515", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:18:28Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2024-06-07", "title": "Trade\u2010offs and synergies of soil carbon sequestration: Addressing knowledge gaps related to soil management strategies", "description": "Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in agricultural soils is an important tool for climate change mitigation within the EU soil strategy for 2030 and can be achieved via the adoption of soil management strategies (SMS). These strategies may induce synergistic effects by simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and/or nitrogen (N) leaching. In contrast, other SMS may stimulate emissions of GHG such as nitrous oxide (N2O) or methane (CH4), offsetting the climate change mitigation gained via SOC sequestration. Despite the importance of understanding trade\uffe2\uff80\uff90offs and synergies for selecting sustainable SMS for European agriculture, knowledge on these effects remains limited. This review synthesizes existing knowledge, identifies knowledge gaps and provides research recommendations on trade\uffe2\uff80\uff90offs and synergies between SOC sequestration or SOC accrual, non\uffe2\uff80\uff90CO2 GHG emissions and N leaching related to selected SMS. We investigated 87 peer\uffe2\uff80\uff90reviewed articles that address SMS and categorized them under tillage management, cropping systems, water management and fertilization and organic matter (OM) inputs. SMS, such as conservation tillage, adapted crop rotations, adapted water management, OM inputs by cover crops (CC), organic amendments (OA) and biochar, contribute to increase SOC stocks and reduce N leaching. Adoption of leguminous CC or specific cropping systems and adapted water management tend to create trade\uffe2\uff80\uff90offs by stimulating N2O emissions, while specific cropping systems or application of biochar can mitigate N2O emissions. The effect of crop residues on N2O emissions depends strongly on their C/N ratio. Organic agriculture and agroforestry clearly mitigate CH4 emissions but the impact of other SMS requires additional study. More experimental research is needed to study the impact of both the pedoclimatic conditions and the long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term dynamics of trade\uffe2\uff80\uff90offs and synergies. Researchers should simultaneously assess the impact of (multiple) agricultural SMS on SOC stocks, GHG emissions and N leaching. This review provides guidance to policymakers as well as a framework to design field experiments and model simulations, which can address knowledge gaps and non\uffe2\uff80\uff90intentional effects of applying agricultural SMS meant to increase SOC sequestration.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.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. Cover crops (CC) offer numerous benefits to agroecosystems, particularly in the realm of soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual and loss mitigation. However, uncertainties persist regarding the extent to which CCs, in co\uffe2\uff80\uff90occurrence with environmental factors, influence SOC responses and associated C pools. We therefore performed a weighted meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis on the effects of CCs on the mineral\uffe2\uff80\uff90associated organic carbon (MAOC), the particulate organic carbon (POC) and the microbial biomass carbon (MBC) pool compared to no CC cultivation in arable cropland. Our study summarized global research of comparable management, with a focus on climatic zones representative of Europe, such as arid, temperate and boreal climates. In this meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis, we included 71 independent studies from 61 articles published between 1990 and June 2023 in several scientific and grey literature databases. Sensitivity analysis was conducted and did not identify any significant publication bias. The results revealed that CCs had an overall statistically significant positive effect on SOC pools, increasing MAOC by 4.8% (95% CI: 0.6%\uffe2\uff80\uff939.4%, n \uffe2\uff80\uff89=\uffe2\uff80\uff8916), POC by 23.2% (95% CI: 13.9%\uffe2\uff80\uff9334.4%, n \uffe2\uff80\uff89=\uffe2\uff80\uff8939) and MBC by 20.2% (95% CI: 11.7%\uffe2\uff80\uff9330.7%, n \uffe2\uff80\uff89=\uffe2\uff80\uff8930) in the top soil, compared to no CC cultivation. Thereby, CCs feed into the stable as well as the more labile C pools. The effect of CCs on MAOC was dependent on soil clay content and initial SOC concentration, whereas POC was influenced by moderators such as CC peak biomass and experiment duration. For MBC, for example, clay content, crop rotation duration and tillage depth were identified as important drivers. Based on our results on the effects of CCs on SOC pools and significant moderators, we identified several research needs. A pressing need for additional experiments exploring the effects of CCs on SOC pools was found, with a particular focus on MAOC and POC. Further, we emphasize the necessity for conducting European studies spanning the north\uffe2\uff80\uff93south gradient. In conclusion, our results show that CC cultivation is a key strategy to promote C accrual in different SOC pools. Additionally, this meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis provides new insights into the state of knowledge regarding SOC pool changes influenced by CCs, offering quantitative summary results and shedding light on the sources of heterogeneity affecting these findings. Appropriate cover crop (CC) management is an important tool for the improvement of soil carbon stock; however, the relationships between carbon accumulation and CC root traits remain unclear. A literature review was performed to identify the extent and focus of recent research and to answer questions about the role of root traits of CCs in soil C accumulation with regard to species selection, mixture composition and agronomic management. The findings based on the analysis of 69 publications show that a range of root traits such as root biomass, architecture, depth of rooting, root chemical composition, as well as quantity and quality of rhizodeposition, can contribute to soil structure formation and C accumulation. These traits are usually species specific, and it seems that appropriate species combinations in the mixtures can offer the highest potential for optimization of C stock across various environments. However, there has been twice as much recent research on roots of CC monocultures than on mixtures, with little attention paid to agronomic aspects such as plant spatial arrangement or soil tillage in relation to CC root development. Considerations of real management under field conditions could be beneficial in providing greater accuracy of estimation of the contribution of CCs in increasing the SOC stock in croplands. Mid\uffe2\uff80\uff90term (MTEs, 5\uffe2\uff80\uff9320\uffe2\uff80\uff89years) and long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term (LTEs, 20+\uffe2\uff80\uff89years) field experiments are key sources of information to design future climate\uffe2\uff80\uff90smart agriculture. Within the European Joint Program SOIL (EJP SOIL), we built the EJP SOIL\uffe2\uff80\uff90MTE/LTE metadataset that contains metadata from 240 MTEs/LTEs across Europe. Metadata collected included precise descriptions of the treatments (combination of factors such as tillage, crop type/rotation, amendments/fertilizers, grazing and pest/weed management), soil and crop measurements and pedo\uffe2\uff80\uff90climatic information. Using different figures and dashboards, an overview of those MTEs/LTEs is presented and specific research themes (tillage systems, residue management, amendment type and cover crops) are further analysed within their pedo\uffe2\uff80\uff90climatic context. An interactive web portal developed in collaboration with the BonaRes project ( https://lte.bonares.de ), enables users to explore the metadataset and find relevant MTEs/LTEs for specific combinations of practices (e.g. all MTEs/LTEs that investigate cover crops on a Cambisol in no\uffe2\uff80\uff90tillage system). Finally, a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the metadataset was carried out to highlight the potential contribution of MTEs/LTEs to a harmonized European soil observation and monitoring approach. We propose that the metadataset could be elaborated with metadata from other existing MTEs/LTEs in Europe or even worldwide.