Maintaining soil resilience and function for sustainable land management
Lead Research Organisation:
Rothamsted Research
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
Sustainable land management practices are required that maintain soil quality and biodiversity and minimise diffuse pollution to air and water, i.e. maintain a range of ecosystem functions and services. The basic hypothesis of this project is that a better understanding and quantification of the biodiversity and the biotic and abiotic processes that occur in soils, through the exploitation of novel and conventional methods on long-term experiments, will identify important controls of nutrient cycling, greenhouse gas emissions and pollutant removal and facilitate the development of such practices. Research within this project focuses on achieving a better understanding of the resilience to change of the key soil properties and processes involved in biogeochemical cycling, particularly of carbon and nitrogen. The long-term experiments and platform sites at Rothamsted, Woburn and North Wyke, present unique and invaluable resources for conducting research into biogeochemical cycling in stable ecosystems, the management of which is precisely defined and documented. The major focus of the project will be the initiation of a new and unique multidisciplinary experiment that will study the microbial diversity and function, carbon chemistry, soil architecture and nitrogen fluxes of 40 to 50-year old bare fallow, grass and arable soils on the Highfield Ley-Arable Experiment at Rothamsted, before and after changes of land use.
Objectives:
1. To observe the transitions that accompany land use changes between fallow, arable and grassland using new techniques from the molecular level upward.
2. To study the impacts of land use and global change on carbon and nitrogen cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient losses to waters, and above- and below-ground biodiversity and develop improved land management practices.
Objectives:
1. To observe the transitions that accompany land use changes between fallow, arable and grassland using new techniques from the molecular level upward.
2. To study the impacts of land use and global change on carbon and nitrogen cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient losses to waters, and above- and below-ground biodiversity and develop improved land management practices.
Planned Impact
unavailable
Publications
Addiscott T
(2010)
Soil mineralization: An emergent process?
in Geoderma
Addiscott T
(2011)
Emergence or self-organization?: Look to the soil population.
in Communicative & integrative biology
Addiscott T
(2011)
Encyclopedia of Agrophysics
Crews T
(2014)
Changes in soil phosphorus forms through time in perennial versus annual agroecosystems
in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
De Nobili M
(2011)
Obituary David Jenkinson
in Biology and Fertility of Soils
Dick J
(2011)
A comparison of ecosystem services delivered by 11 long-term monitoring sites in the UK environmental change network
in Environmetrics
Gregory Andrew
(2010)
The effects of soil management on subsoil organic matter
in EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts
Guntzer F
(2011)
Long-term removal of wheat straw decreases soil amorphous silica at Broadbalk, Rothamsted
in Plant and Soil
Guo JH
(2010)
Significant acidification in major Chinese croplands.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Hartley TN
(2013)
Historical arsenic contamination of soil due to long-term phosphate fertiliser applications.
in Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
| Description | The project revealed the importance of soil organic matter to good soil management and soil health generally, especially the soil microbial biomass - the soil microorganisms that mediate the cycling of essential plant nutrients, especially carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. Another key finding is the importance of land management, especially the use of fertilisers and manures, to the oxidation of atmospheric methane by soils and the contribution of this to climate change mitigation. Finally developments were made in the use of stable isotopes, especially N-14 and C-13, as tracers of processes in soils and the wider environment. |
| Exploitation Route | As described above, the information is being used by ASDA producers for better soil management and the sustainability of their farms, and by Hutchinsons agronomists in advising their customers. The research has been put into use through our contribution to a booklet produced by LEAF (Linking the Environment and Farming) for ASDA called 'Simply Sustainable Soils' (which is being revised and developed in further research). This booklet is given to ASDA's producers to help them manage their soils better. The results also form part of information given to Hutchinsons agronomists, informing them of the latest and most effective ways to better manage soils. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Environment Retail |
| URL | http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/Content.php?Section=Research&Page=Systems |
| Description | The importance of soil organic matter to good soil management has been taken forward in collaboration with the industry. We have interacted with ASDA, Waitrose and Sainsburys separately to provide their producers with practical ways towards better soil management and the sustainability of their farms. For example, in collaboration with LEAF (Linking the Environment and Farming) we have created a booklet for ASDA called 'Simply Sustainable Soils' (which is being revised and developed in further research). In 2016 and 2017, knowledge from the project was used in preparing a Soil Biology training course for NIAB's ARTIS training programme. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Retail |
| Impact Types | Economic Policy & public services |
| Title | eRA |
| Description | A new version of the Electronic Rothamsted Archive (eRA) has been launched: http://www3.rothamsted.ac.uk/cdera/extract/pages/data_extraction_prototype6.html. It includes: data from the North Wyke Farm Platform; open access data on yields for the Broadbalk and Hoosfield long-term (>150 years) experiments; plant species data for Park Grass; soil organic carbon trends; meteorological data; 3300 reports, maps and plans, which will be given DOIs and made publically available. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2014 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | eRA has been delivering data to enquirers for many years with a steadily increasing demand: 73 users in 2010/11 and 120 users in 2015/15. The new version of eRA was launched in 2014. |
| URL | http://www3.rothamsted.ac.uk/cdera/extract/pages/data_extraction_prototype6.html |
| Description | Park Grass, a Genomic Observatory |
| Organisation | Laboratoire Ampere |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Park Grass has been registered as a 'genomic observatory', defined as "an ecosystem and/or site subject to long-term scientific research, including (but not limited to) the sustained study of genomic biodiversity from single-celled microbes to multicellular organisms." Full details at: http://www.genomicobservatories.org/ |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | UK Biochar Research Centre |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Rothamsted is in partnership with the UK Biochar Research Centre (UKBRC) at the University of Edinburgh to research the production and use of biochar |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | ASDA launch 'Simply Sustainable Soils' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Research from the project was used by the PI to develop the booklet 'Simply Sustainable Soils' by ASDA and LEAF, a series of simple tests for farmers and growers to assess the health of their soil. Prof Goulding worked with contributors from the ADAS and Allington Trust to advise on the contents of the booklet, which ASDA has supplied to its growers. 'Simply Sustainable Soils' booklet, 33 pp. ASDA will have supplied the booklet to all its growers, I estimate between 101 and 500. ASDA has not communicated the extent of any impact but I would expect ASDA growers to be managing their soils more effectively. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www.leafuk.org/resources/000/595/601/LEAF-Simply_Sustainable_Soils.pdf |
| Description | Inclusion of the experiments, archive and e-RA details in the UK Soils Observatory |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Participants in your research or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | The UK Soils Observatory was launched in April 2014. It brings together maps, data and publications on UK soils. The long-term experiments, sample archive and e-RA database are now available through the UKSO under the category of observatories. The UK Soils Observatory (UKSO) provides a unified starting point for accessing UK soils data and underpinning research (with the specific objective of providing these data for free where possible). The UKSO project will acquire new data, harmonise licensing, develop access software, and ensure data interoperability to improve the clarity and ease-of-use of our national and region soil-data resources. Website with database: no actual impacts realised to date |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://www.UKSO.org |
| Description | International Year of Soils |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Sample Archive and soil cores from the long-term experiments were exhibited as part the activities at the Rothamsted International Year of Soils event on May 17-18, 2015. Positive comments about the event were received from visitors, including Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff CBE FRS, Vice President of the Royal Society. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Omex fertilisers hold annual research conference at Rothamsted |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | In order to hear about the latest research at Rothamsted as well as to discuss their own research plans, Omex Agriculture held their 2011 two-day research meeting at Rothamsted. Omex agriculture asked to hear about the latest research at Rothamsted and to hold their own, closed R&D review at Rothamsted over two days. Research ion agronomy and crop protection was presented. Omex paid for the use of the conference facilities. Presentations used on the day. no actual impacts realised to date |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Royal Society Summer Exhibition: 'Journey to the centre of the Earth. The first 23 cm' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Multimedia display about soil biodiversity at the Royal Society's Summer Exhibition in June and July 2010, with closed presentations to Royal Society fellows and then a week's presentation to the public. Held at the Southbank Centre in London. Computer displays. Handouts. Games. no actual impacts realised to date |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | The importance of soil biology/biodiversity |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | keynote/invited speaker |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Informal discussion with farmers at a Natural England soil biology workshop and farm walk Presentations by Matthew Shepherd and I to the farmer group and then a farm walk, discussing soil biodiversity at several locations around the farm None Increased farmer interest in soil biology and soil management. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |