Preserving agricultural soils in the EU
Transcript of Preserving agricultural soils in the EU
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Preserving agricultural soilsin the EU
Dr Ir. Hein F.M. ten BergeWageningen University & Research
with Dr. Ir. J.J. Schröder (Wageningen UR, NL)Prof. Dr. J.E. Olesen (Aarhus University, DK)
Prof. Dr. J.-V. Giraldez Cervera (University of Cordoba, ES)
20/06/2017 Presentation for the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development 1
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Structure of the Presentation
1. Soil functions and services2. Distribution of soil types3. Soil threats4. Soil management5. Elements for policies6. Conclusions and recommendations
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1. Soil functions and services
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Soil functions• Primary production• Water regulation• Nutrient cycling• Habitat support• Climate regulation
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Soil-supported services• Harvestable crops• Clean fresh water• Re-use of resources• Habitat for biodiversity• Benign climate
(Schulte et al., 2014)
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Biological Chemical Physical
Carbonstocks
Carbonflows
Manage-ment
Health Nutrients Water
Cropgrowth
Soiltype
Cropyield
Carbonstorage
Otherecosystem
services
Soil Properties
Soil Functions
(Smartsoil FP7)
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Soilpreservation
Trade-offs&
Synergies
?
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2. Distribution of soil types
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• Very relevant interactionsbetween soil type (S),environment (E) and soilmanagement (M)
• E includes climate, slope, and thesocio-economic context
• Soil requirements, and measureseffective to protect soils, differ byS x E x M
• Implication: Policies aiming tosteer M must be differentiatedacross Europe
(courtesy of Dr P. Panagos, 2017)
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3. Soil threats
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Erosion by windErosion by waterFloods & Land slidesCarbon-loss peat soilsCarbon-loss mineral soilsCompactionSodificationContamination
AcidificationLow fertilityDesertificationLoss of biodiversity- in the soil- above-ground- soil-borne diseases
Sealing (land-grabbing)
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Peat soils (Histosols) andpeat-topped (0-30 cm)soils
(Montanarella et al., 2006)(RECARE Soil Threats, 2016)
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Degradation of peat soils
• Peatlands store 455,000 Mt of C (globally)• = twice global forest biomass-C• 17,000 Mt C in EU peat soils• = 25% of EU soil C stock (70,000 Mt)• 27 t CO2/ha/y from peatland under agriculture• 27 t/ha/y * 3.6 Mha = 100 Mt CO2/y (EU)• = 2.2% of EU-28 annual CO2 from fossil fuels
(4,420 Mt CO2/y in 2015)
• Pristine peatlands sequester 350 Mt CO2/y (globally)• ... and have high nature value
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Agro-forestry / silvo-pastoral systems
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Pastures in open woodland Pastures with sparse trees
(Plie
ning
er e
t al.,
201
5)
• High C stocks• Protect from erosion• High nature values
% of territory
Bulgaria 10.3Greece 10.1Ireland 5.1Italy 5.3Portugal 16.4Romania 7.2Slovenia 5.4Spain 11.7EU-27 4.7
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‘dehesa’,QuercusSpain
TranssylvaniaFagusRomania Fruit
OrchardGermany
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Model-based approximation
(Panagos et al., 2016)
Water erosion
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Fraction of tillage erosionin total erosion (sum of water and tillage erosion)(van Oost et al., 2009)
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Water erosion: gully formation processes
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(Poesen et al., 2002)
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Soil compaction
Subsoil !
Wheel loadcarrying capacity(WLCC)
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(SchjØnning et al., 2015)
(kN; 10 kN ~ 1 Mg)
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Limiting mechanical load based on WLCC
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• It is about subsoil protection• Including plough-sole• Avoid permanent damage• Account for natural recovery potential• Light soils zero potential• No driving in open furrow
Impacts on• GHG emissions• Hydrology• Productivity
(SchjØnning et al., 2015)
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4. Soil management
Tillage
Soil fertility management
Water management
Catch & cover crops – green manures
Residue management
Farming systems (Conservation Agriculture;Organic Farming)
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(CATCH-C, FP7)
Many farmers are well aware that soil care is important– but they face trade-offs
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Widely recognised agro-ecological principles
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• Soil cover protects soil• Fresh organic material input feeds soil biota and
promotes various chemical, biological and physical soilproperties
• Soil disturbance has negative impact on soil macro-fauna
• Traffic load and passing frequency damages soilstructure (top- and subsoil)
• Host crop species promote soil-borne diseases
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On “soil improving practices”
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„Conventional“ practices So-called „soil improvingpractices“
Examples ofdisadvantages
Monoculture Crop rotation Income loss; equipment;processing industry
PloughingNo Tillage
Non-inversion tillageMinimum tillage
Weed control/herbicidesStructure (root crops)
N2O
Bare fallowCatch cropsCover Crops
Green Manures
Competition for waterPest pressure
Soil structure (traffic)N2O
Remove residues Incorporate Crop ResiduesIncome loss
Fungal diseasesN2O
Mineral fertilizers Organic Fertilizers(compost, FYM, slurries)
Nutrient emissionsN2O
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Potential win-win’s (+) and trade-offs (-) andmixed (+/-) cases – a few examples
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Each cell is subject to debate
Measure Farming Soil function:System Primary Water Climate Biodiversity Nutrient
productivty regulation regulation support cyclingcrop rotation (CA, Org F) + +, - +, - +, - +, -soil cover (CA, Org F) +, - + +, - + +minimum tillage (CA) +, - +, - +, - + +, -no pesticides (Org F) - + ? + +, -manures (Org F) +, - - + + +
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5. Elements for policies
Protect soils or soil services?
No-regret actions
Monitoring and enforcement
Knowledge and innovation systems (AKIS)
Integrated soil management plan
Various bases for ranking of threats
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6. Conclusions - Recommendations
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• Protect soil services – not just soils: soil protection as partof integrated environmental protection plan
• Recognise diversity of contexts, and trade-offs• Local ranking of suitable measures (practices)
• Mandatory integrated soil management plan per farm(nutrient balance; organic matter balance; water management; IPMsoil borne diseases, etc.)
• Farm-level: compliance monitoring (practices)
• Catchment level: effect monitoring (soil services)
• Promote innovation to overcome barriers / trade-offs• Guidance by independent advisers
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Conclusions – Recommendations Contd.
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• Protect pristine peatland from encroachment (by agriculture)
• Conserve agro-forestry systems (cross-sectoral policies)
• Protect all other high-carbon soils from degradation
• Protect productive agricultural land from land-grabbing
• Control water erosion (mandatory practices – locally defined)
• Control subsoil compaction (statutory limits to soil loading)
Climate – water regulation – biodiversity
Primary production – water regulation
Primary production – climate - water regulation - nutrients
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Thank you for your attention
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