Soil health and ecosystem services
CARLOS [email protected]
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOIL PROTECTION
DEFINITIONS OF SOIL QUALITY – SOIL HEALTH
BOTH TERMS HAVE ATTRACTED PUBLIC INTEREST IN SOIL C ONSERVATION
Different definitions may coexist for different purposes
Its fitness for use (Larson and Pierce, 1991)
The ability of soil to support crop growth without becoming degraded or otherwise harming theenvironment (Acton et al. 1995)
The continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living system, within ecosystem and land-useboundaries, to sustain biological productivity, promote the quality of air and water environments,and maintain plant, animal and human health (Doran et al. 1977)
The capacity of a soil to function (Karlen et al. 1997)
The capacity of a specific kind of soil to function, within natural or managed ecosystem boundaries,to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and supporthuman health and habitation" (SSSA, Karlen et al. 1997)
How well is the soil functioning for a specific goal or use (Karlen et al. 2003)
How well soil does what we want it to do (NRCS-USDA)
Soil quality is the capacity of a soil to perform its ecosystem processes and services, whilemaintaining ecosystem attributes of ecological relevance(Garbisu et al. 2011)
� FOOD, FIBRE AND FUEL
� SUPPORTS PLANT GROWTH
� HABITAT FOR ANIMALS AND MICROORGANISMS
� ORGANIC MATTER DECOMPOSITION
� NUTRIENT CYCLING
� DETOXIFICATION OF CONTAMINANTS
� REGULATES WATER AND AIR QUALITY
� DISTRIBUTES RAINWATER
� GENETIC RESERVOIR
� STORAGE OF CARBON
� ANCHOR AND PLATFORM FOR CONSTRUCTION
� PRESERVES ARCHAEOLOGICAL INFORMATION
THE CAPACITY OF SOIL TO PERFORM ITS FUNCTIONS AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
Teleological
Anthropocentric
ANTHROPOCENTRIC APPROACH
FROM SOIL QUALITY TO SOIL HEALTH
� Ecological processes, functions,ecosystem services, ecologicalintegrity, ecological attributes,foodweb, risk for ecosystems, etc.
SOIL QUALITY
� Agricultural quality: crop yield
� Chemicalquality: contaminants, risk for humans
SOIL HEALTH
ANTHROPOCENTRIC AND ECOCENTRIC APPROACH
NON-LIVING COMPONENT
FROM SOIL QUALITY TO SOIL HEALTH
SOIL QUALITY
SOIL HEALTHLIVING COMPONENT
PHYSICOCHEMICALINDICATORS
FROM SOIL QUALITY TO SOIL HEALTH
SOIL QUALITY SOIL HEALTHBIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
Porosity
Bulk density
Texture
Structure
Infiltration
Water holding capacity
pH
Organic matter
Cation exchange capacity
Macronutrients (N, P, K)
Electrical conductivity
Micronutrients
Metals
Sensitivity
Quick response
Integrative character
FROM SOIL QUALITY TO SOIL HEALTH
SOIL THREATS
� Sealing
� Salinization
� Floods
� Loss of OM
� Loss of Biodiversity
� Contamination
� Erosion
� Compaction
� Lack of public interest
� Lack of funds
� Loss of Nutrients
� Landslides
Floods
Loss of biodiversity
Loss of OM
Contamination
Erosion
Sealing
Compaction
Salinization
Loss of nutrients
Landslides
SOIL THREATS
GLOBAL CHANGE – GLOBAL THREATS(climate change; contamination; land use: agricultural intensification, urbanization; N
deposition; invasive species)
FROM SOIL QUALITY TO SOIL HEALTH
There is little if any parallel between AIR or WATER QUALITYand SOIL HEALTH : air and water quality standards are usuallybased on maximum allowable concentrations of materialshazardous to human health
The definition of soil health must be broad enough to encompassthe MANY FUNCTIONS of soil
FROM SOIL QUALITY TO SOIL HEALTH
EVALUATION OF SOIL QUALITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED RELATIVE TO THE DIFFERENT USES
And the evaluation of soil health?
FROM SOIL QUALITY TO SOIL HEALTH
- Lack of understanding regarding the openness and interconnectedness of ecosystemson scales that transcend management boundaries
- As many functions-services as possible
FROM SOIL QUALITY TO SOIL HEALTH
If the mind is cultivated, it can be fertile ground for new ideas
APPLICATION OF THE SOIL HEALTH “METAPHOR” TOTHE REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED SOILS
USEFUL TERM TO BRIDGE THE GAPBETWEEN SCIENTISTS, POLICY-MAKERS,RESOURCE MANAGERS, AND THE PUBLIC
GREAT COMMUNICATION
TOOL
Soil health: use in communicationSoil quality: use in legislation (but with concepts of soil health)
ECOSYSTEM RISK ASSESSMENTCHEMICAL, TOXICOLOGICAL >> ECOLOGICAL
COOPERATION IS BETTER THAN CONFRONTATION
CONTAMINATION IS SIMPLY THE PRESENCE OF A SUBSTANCE WHERE ITSHOULD NOT BE OR AT CONCENTRATIONS ABOVE BACKGROUND LEVELS
CHEMICAL APPROACH
BIOAVAILABILITY : contaminant fraction freely available tocross an organism’s (cellular) membrane fromthe medium theorganism inhabits at a given point in time
BIOACCESSIBILITY : what is actually bioavailable now pluswhat is “potentially bioavailable”
POLLUTION IS CONTAMINATION THAT RESULTS IN, OR CAN RESULT IN ,ADVERSE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS TO RESIDENT COMMUNITIES
CI ≤ 1: low; 1 < CI ≤ 2: moderate; CI > 2: high
LMA limit: local maximum allowable limit value
TOXICOLOGICAL APPROACH
� MODEL ORGANISMS AND BIOASSAYS: ecological relevance (residentorganisms)?
� TOLERANCE: acclimation, adaptation. When resident populations aretolerant to existing contamination, bioassays with non-tolerant organisms arenot environmentally relevant
� RISK BASED ON POTENTIALLY AFFECTED FRACTION OF SPECIES(PAF<10%: minimum risk; 10%<PAF<50%: uncertainty; PAF>50%:unacceptable):keystonespecies,dominant species,redundant species- someprocesses are phylogenetically narrow (nitrification, N fixation) while others arephylogenetically broad (N mineralization) -
Eisenia fetida Lactuca sativaVibrio fischeri
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN ECOSYSTEM RISK ASSESSMENT
ECOSYSTEM SERVICE ECOLOGICALREQUIREMENTS
(examples)
INDICATOR(examples)
SOIL FERTILITY Nutrient cycling Nitrification, P, K, resp, N loss to sub-root soil, litter mass loss rate
Functional biodiversity Nitrifying bact, Biolog, nematodecomposition, earthworm structure
OM build-up and maintenance Labile SOM, aggregate size,polyphenols, fulvic/humic acids
Physicochemical properties pH, bulk density, CEC, WHC, texture
ADAPTABILITY AND RESILIENCE
Functional diversity Fungi:bact ratio, nitrifying bacteria
Genetic variation Nitrifying bact, nucleic acids…
Species richness Keystone species, diversity indexes...
BUFFER AND REACTIONFUNCTION
OM build-up and maintenance Labile SOM, root turnover…
Physicochemical properties CEC, aggregate stability…
Soil structure and bioturbation Earthworm density
BIODIVERSITY AND HABITATPROVISION
Functional biodiversity, structuralbiodiversity, genetic biodiversity
Keystone species, soil food webbiomass distribution, iso-enzymes…
DISEASE SUPPRESSION AND PEST RESISTANCE
Functional biodiversity Soilborne predators of pests, specificsuppressive taxa
PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OM build-up, soil structure Anecic-epigeic earthworms, aggregatestability, soil compaction
ECOSYSTEM SERVICESTHE BENEFITS PEOPLE OBTAIN FROM ECOSYSTEMS
SUPPORTING SERVICES: e.g., biomass production, production of atmosphericO2, soil formation and retention, nutrient cycling, water cycling, provisioning ofhabitat. The ecological processes underlying the functioning of ecosystems. Theinclusion of these supporting services in any valuation process may lead todouble counting, as their value is reflected in the three other types ofservices
WHAT HAS A PRICE CAN BE BOUGHT
TODO NECIO CONFUNDE VALOR Y PRECIO
MONETARY VALUE OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
REDUCTIONIST APPROACH
ECOSYSTEMS, AND THE BENEFITSTHEIR GOOD MANAGEMENT BRINGS,NEED TO BE REPRESENTED INDECISION-MAKING TOOLS AND ININDICATORS OF PROGRESS (such asGross Domestic Product)
Focusing on final ecosystemservices delivery raises the concern that thecomponents of ecosystems such as biodiversity might be overlooked if their linkto final ecosystemservices cannot be clearly demonstrated
Final goods and services tell littleabout the state of the ecosystemservice delivery mechanisms (theecosystemsupply chain relies onecological infrastructure)
THE SUCCESSOF ECOSYSTEM SERVICESMEANS THEY CANNOT BE IGNORED BYANY SCIENTIST WORKING ON ANY PARTOF THE ENVIRONMENT
GOOGLE (21 October 2012)“Ecosystemservices”: 2,380,000“Soil quality”: 1,460,000“Soil health”: 565,000
“Water quality”: 31,100,000“Air quality”: 38,200,000
Regulation of major biogeochemical cycles
Retention and delivery of nutrients to plants
Contribution to plant production for food, fuel, and fiber
Generation and renewal of soil structure and fertility
Bioremediation of wastes and pollutants
Provision of clean water (receive and store water)
Mitigation of floods and droughts, water erosion control
Translocation of nutrients, particles and gases
Regulation of atmospheric trace gases (CO2, NOx)
Modification of anthropogenically driven global change
Regulation of animal and plant populations
Control of potential pests and pathogens
Contribution to landscape heterogeneity and stability
Vital component of habitats important for recreation and natural history
Healthy soils provide us with a range of ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
SUPPORTING SERVICESPhysical stability and support for plantsRenewal, retention and delivery of nutrients for plantsHabitat and gene pool
REGULATING SERVICESRegulation of major elemental cyclesBuffering, filtering and moderation of the hydrological cycleDisposal of wastes and dead organic matter
PROVISIONING SERVICESBuilding material
CULTURAL SERVICESHeritage sites, archaeological preserver of artifactsSpiritual value, religious sites and burial grounds
SOIL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
PROVISIONING GOODSTopsoilPeatTurfSand / clay mineralsBiomedical resourcesBio-resources, soil stabilizers, biological crust
REGULATING SERVICESClimate regulation
Buffering extremes of cold or heatGHG regulation
Hydrological regulationBuffering floods and droughtsWater filtration
Hazard regulationStructural support buffering, shrink/swellLandslides / slumpsLiquifactionDust emissions
Disease regulationHuman pathogensDisease transmission & vector control
BiodiversityGene poolpathogens
CULTURAL SERVICESSports field recreational surfacesPreservation of historic artifactsLandscape aestheticsBurial grounds
SUPPORTING SERVICESSoil formation and genesis
WASTE PROCESSING SERVICESCleaning, degradation, transformation
GOODS AND SERVICES DERIVED FROM THE PEDOSPHERE
SERVICE INDICATORSBad
1..2..3 Average4..5..6
Good7..8..9
Indicatorvalue(1-9)
Servicevalue(1-9)
PASTUREPRODUCTION
Dry weight (t/ha per year) - mountain- valley
<3<5.4
3-4,25.4-7.6
>4.2>7.6
BIODIVERSITYCONSERVATION
Plant (H’)- mountain- valley
<1.5<1.3
1.5-2.51.3-2.3
>2.5>2.3
Mesofauna – types (índex) <40 40-70 >70Functional fungi (H’) <3 3-4 >4Functional bacteria (H’) <3 3-4 >4Genetic fungi (No. species - bands) <5 5-11 >11Genetic bacteria (No. species - bands) <10 10-18 >18Total genetic (H’) <2 2-3 >3
SOILCONSERVATION
Microbial activity (mg C-CO 2/kg per hour) <0.6 0.6-1 >1Microbial abundance (mg C-CO2/kg per hour) <10 10-18 >18
Microbial metabolic quotient - qCO2 >0.1 0.1-0.06 <0.06
Compaction-penetrability 0-30 cm (MPa) > 3 2-3 <2
Acidity- aluminium saturation (%)Acidity- pH
>20<5 or >7.5
10-20 5-5.9
<10 6-7.5
N total (%) <0.10 or >3 0.11-0.29 0.3-3
Olsen P (ppm) <8 or >45 8-15 15.1-45
Extractable K+ (ppm) <80 or >300 80-120 121-350
COMBATINGCLIMATECHANGE
CO2 soil emissions (g CO2/m2 per hour) >3 1.5-3 <1.5Organic matter (%):
- mountain- valley
<5<2
5-102-4
>10>4
AGROECOSYSTEM HEALTH CARDS BASED ON ECOSYSTEM SERVI CES
SOIL HEALTH – MONITORING NETWORKS
GERMANY Respiration, SIR, metabolic quotient (qCO2), enzymesTHE NETHERLANDSBiomass (direct microscopy), C-mineralisation, N-mineralisation, bacterial growth rates, bacterial diversity (DGGE, Biolog)SWITZERLANDBiomass (SIR, CFE), respiration, N-mineralisation, arbuscular mycorrhizaCZECH REPUBLICSIR, respiration, N-mineralisation, nitrification, enzymes UNITED KINGDOM Biomass, respiration, diversity (Biolog), RhizobiumESTONIA, FINLAND, GERMANY, ITALY, LATVIA, RUSSIA, S WEDENRespiration, OM decomposition, enzyme, N-mineralisationAUSTRIABiomass (SIR and ergosterol), enzymes, nitrification, bacteriaand fungi, (Mycorrhiza)
A soil health monitoring programme must (i)cover the differentFUNCTIONS-SERVICESand LAND-USES and (ii) identifyPRIORITIESand relevantINDICATORS
MORE SOIL HEALTH OBSERVATORIES NEEDED!!
IS THE GLASS HALF FULL OR
HALF EMPTY?
Technically, the glass is always full (half air, half water)
IT IS HALF FULLAND
HALF EMPTY
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!!
THANKS IHOBE!!
TRES
PROGRAMAS
EZAGUTU ERAGIN EKIN
PLAN DE SUELOS CONTAMINADOS DEL PAÍS VASCO 2007-2012
Generación y gestión del conocimiento , y transferencia a otros ámbitos: información, formación, sensibilización e investigación
UNA META(EZAGUTU)
TRESLÍNEAS
ACTUACIÓN
Recopilación, organizacióny gestión de la información en calidad del suelo
Generación deconocimiento
Sensibilización,información y formación
1. Crear equipos de trabajomultidisciplinares y permanentes2. Incidir en la política de ciencia y tecnología para generar conocimiento
1. Comunicar y difundir aspectos clave2. Aumentar el conocimiento entre los
agentes3.Articular mecanismos de participación
LA.2 Generación de conocimientoEstablecer el modelo de colaboracióny un plan de trabajo para los próximosaños con el grupo BERRILUR
ÁREAS DE CONOCIMIENTO
Grupos de Conocimiento Áreas de Conocimiento
Química Analitica-Grupo IBeA (Leioa) Química Ambiental
Geodinámica- Grupo Hidrogeología Aguas superficiales y subterráneas
Fisiología Vegetal y Ecologia-Grupo EKOFISCO Ecotoxicología en Plantas y Fitorremediación
Biología Celular y Animal -Grupo BCTA Ecotoxicología en Invertebrados
Química Analitica Farmacia (Gasteiz) Química de orgánicos y pesticidas
ESII-Dpto. Ingeniería Química y del Medio Ambiente Biofiltros y ensayos de envejecimiento acelerado de ENAC
TECNALIA R&I Gestión y Analisis de Riesgo
NEIKER-TECNALIA Ecología microbiana y bioindicación
GAIKER IK.4 Ecotoxicología bacteriana y Biorremediación
Areas de conocimiento de BERRILUR (Suelos)
ESCENARIOS BERRILUR
Aplicación Modelo Conceptual
BERRILUR II
BERRILUR I
Metodología
BERRILUR III
CONSOLIDANDO EL FUTURO
BERRILURImpacto
científico-tecnológico
Nº de Tesis publicadas 28Nº de Tesis de licenciatura 38Nº de artículos publicados en revistas clasificadas 189
Nº de artículos publicados en otras revistas 32
Nº de presentaciones en conferencias y congresos 202
Nº de patentes registradas 1
Nº de empleos generados en I+D 22
Investigadores formados en centros de prestigio 29
Nº Acuerdos Colaboración Centros Referentes 24
Donosti, 9, 10 y 11 Julio de 2008
22 de Noviembre de 2007 (Campus de Leioa)
18,19 y 20 de Octubre de 2005 (Campus de Vitoria-Gasteiz)3-4-5 de Noviembre de 2004
(Campus de Leioa)
23 de Junio de 2004Sede ACLIMA ( Bilbao)
CONSOLIDANDO EL FUTURO
Agradecimientos
Dpto. de Industria y Dpto. de Medio
Ambiente del Gobierno Vasco
Sociedad Pública IHOBE
Al conjunto de entidades, empresas y
particulares que han prestado su apoyo
para hacer de esta iniciativa una realidad