STFC Soils Sandpit

Soils are critical to feeding the world as our population grows to over 9 billion people. Existing knowledge of dynamic changes in the Earth's soils is hampered by lack of observation capabilities. Current state of the art is to bury expensive instrumentation or to collect soil core samples and analyze variables in a bespoke laboratory. This is expensive and provides limited or static information. Physical, chemical, and biological models, which fill in the measurement gaps, are based on limited measurements and assumptions that are not reliable across the variable landscape. An example is soil C, the most widely used model was developed nearly 30 years ago. To advance we need a congruence between model and measurement capabilities. Next generations of models and observation systems are essential for advancing understanding and management of soil, which is a critical natural resource.

Soils are complex ecosystems with physical, chemical, and biological components including nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, and water (NPCW) variables. These are dynamic, cycle continuously, are highly variable over space and time, support plant productivity, and are major determinants of soil health. This proposed initiative will: 1) lead to development of small, inexpensive sensors that are long-lasting, ultra-low powered, and wireless for measuring soil NPCW components at temporal and spatial scales that are not possible today; and 2) support model development for predicting NPCW cycling and soil contaminants, enable spatial and temporal visualization and mapping to support management of resources and protect human and ecosystem health.

Recent advances in portable microelectromechanical sensors (MEMS) show considerable promise for measuring soil physical property changes and NPCW cycling/transformation variables in situ, as well as soil bulk density and soil contaminants. MEMS are potential game changers relative to existing measurement technologies with market projections of $22 billion by 2018. Although many of these advances are occurring in the medical field, some are being developed for use in soils, with major advances being made. Miniaturized and biodegradable sensors using biological and nano materials are also highly promising. There is a wide range of literature on the need for ways to measure soil properties for many different applications, including precision agriculture, soil C accounting, soil reclamation, contamination of water bodies and the use of biogeophysical models for predicting dynamic changes.

This project will enable researchers to reach a new plateau in understanding and modeling dynamic processes in soils to achieve higher efficiencies of resource use and reduced contamination of soil and water supplies. It will advance the development of small inexpensive sensors; next generation soil models; and wireless communication capabilities. New calibration and quality control approaches are also needed. These developments have the potential to validate future payments for public goods within future policy frameworks for land management.

There is significant need by policy makers and practitioners for fine resolution data to underpin environmental and agricultural management and regulation. Specific applications include: developing frameworks for public payments for public goods for farmers, modelling greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration from agriculture for climate change commitments e.g. COP21, enabling precision farming techniques to deliver sustainable intensification, supporting the Defra policy commitment to manage soils sustainable by 2030. Such fine resolution data can only be provided by cheap wireless sensors which can not only provide temporal resolution required but also spatial resolution because the capital required for dense sense networks is not excessive. These impacts can be realised at both the farm, catchment, national and international scale thereby offering the opportunity for the UK to become a global leader in this area with the resulting economic benefits.