SMARTSOIL

Sustainable farm Management Aimed at Reducing Threats to SOILs under climate change

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Farming practices that lead to declining returns and inputs of carbon (C) to soils pose a threat to soil functions by reducing availability of organic matter for soil microbes and by affecting soil structure, and soil C stocks that are key to regulating greenhouse gas emissions. SmartSOIL focuses on arable and mixed farming systems in Europe and will develop an innovative approach using the soil C flow and stocks concept to assess the impact of C management on crop productivity, soil organic C (SOC) stocks and other ecosystem services. SmartSOIL will identify and develop options to increase C stocks and optimise C use (flows) whilst maintaining sustainable SOC stocks. The flow and stocks concept will delineate short- versus long-term management effects on vital soil functions through meta-analyses of data from European long-term experiments (LTEs), as well as new measurements within LTEs. The new understanding will be used to improve existing soil and crop simulation models and test the models against independent LTE data. The models will then be used to derive a simplified model to estimate the short- and long-term effects of management on crop productivity and SOC storage. Scenarios of future management systems in Europe for improved productivity and enhanced SOC sequestration will be evaluated under current and future climate. The cost-effectiveness of alternative policy measures and options for managing SOC flows and stocks for improved productivity and SOC storage will be assessed based on the simplified model. SmartSOIL will develop a decision support tool (DST) to enable farmers, advisors and policy makers to discuss and select the most appropriate and cost-effective practices for particular farming systems, soils and climates. SmartSOIL will engage key stakeholders in case study regions and the wider EU in the development of the DST, guidelines and policy recommendations, and will inform the scientific and user community on progress and results.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Researchers are looking into ways in which farming practices in the EU can be managed to maintain soil carbon, crop productivity and ecosystem services.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Soil and crop management have significant effects on carbon flows and stocks. As most ecosystems do not produce goods-in-demand, farmers tend to engage in short-term productivity gains at the expense of sustainable agricultural methods.

The 'Sustainable farm management aimed at reducing threats to soils under climate change' (http://smartsoil.eu/ (SMARTSOIL)) project is working towards the improvement of European agricultural soils. The initiative is aimed at arable and mixed farming systems and will be designed to convert intensive systems to low-input and organic farms.

SMARTSOIL researchers are identifying farming systems that balance crop productivity with maintaining vital soil functions, including fertility, biodiversity, water content and nutrient cycling. For all professionals involved in the farming industry, the project team are developing decision-support tools (DSTs) and guidelines adapted to a range of soils. Already, a comprehensive list of available online DSTs is now accessible after an initial review of aspects, including structure, features and barriers to use.

Researchers established three field trials of winter wheat in Denmark and Italy to assess carbon stock and/or flux effects on crop yield. To house the large mass of data, the team have created the long-term experiments (LTE) database. The LTE data is now being used to calibrate and validate models of carbon and nitrogen flux in the atmosphere, vegetation and soil.

The project has divided Europe into around 25 zones based on farm types, environment and administrative borders. SMARTSOIL has completed a report on different soil management practices around Europe and how these influence soil carbon stocks and ecosystem services.

Reducing tillage intensity, avoiding fallow periods, optimising crop production and increasing organic matter were all identified as key factors for improved soil carbon content.

SMARTSOIL deliverables will help stop soil degradation through sustainable practices that promise to increase yield and restore vital soil functions. With improved planning and data acquisition, the DSTs can be used to ensure a secure food and feed supply despite a changing climate.