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Report2022

Stocktaking for Agricultural Soil Quality and Ecosystem Services Indicators and their Reference Values : EJP SOIL Internal Project SIREN Deliverable 2

Faber, Jack H.; Hanegraaf, Marjoleine; Gillikin, Ava; Hendriks, Chantal; Kuikman, Peter; Cousin, Isabelle; Bispo, Antonio; Obiang-Ndong, Gregory; Montagne, David; Taylor, Astrid; Bengtsson, Jan; Ten Damme, Loraine; Meurer, Katharina; Viketoft, Maria

Abstract

The SIREN project has made an inventory of indicator systems for assessing soil quality and ecosystem services derived from agricultural soils, as currently used by Member States associated in the EJP SOIL program and beyond. The project aimed to identify and review the national approaches to make use of soil data in the assessment of soil-related ecosystem services, and has surveyed the knowledge gaps and needs for development hindering policy implementation as experienced in the 20 countries participating in the SIREN consortium. A comprehensive conceptual framework linking soil quality to ecosystem services has been collated from earlier proposals in the scientific literature, unifying various concepts associated with soil quality and ecosystem services, and providing a glossary of consistent terminology. SIREN has also taken stock of evaluation criteria for indicators of soil quality as implemented in national soil monitoring schemes. Based on reviews of literature, international policy, international stakeholder views, wide application in national soil monitoring and application in EU projects contributing to agricultural soil quality assessment, a synthesis was produced of policy-relevant soil quality indicators with high potential for harmonised application in national and European monitoring. A tiered approach is proposed for implementation of such a minimum dataset.

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Publisher: EJP SOIL