1. Institute for Environment and Sustainability
Functions of soils and the threats to soils as identified in the Communication Towards a Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection
Luca Montanarella
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE
Institute for Environment and Sustainability

2. Towards a Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection
Bruxelles, le
COM(2002) 179 final
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND
THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
Towards a Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection

3. Soil Features

4. Main functions of soil Food and other biomass production
Storage, filtering, and transformation
Habitat and gene pool
Physical and cultural environment for mankind
Source of raw materials

5. Threats to soil as identified in COM(2002) 179
Erosion
Decline in organic matter
Soil contamination
Soil sealing
Soil compaction
Decline in soil biodiversity
Salinisation
Floods and landslides
The EC communication “Towards a Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection” COM (2002) 179 identifies 8 major threats to soils functionality in Europe: soil erosion, decline in organic matter, soil contamination (both local and diffuse), soil sealing, soil compaction, decline in soil biodiversity, salinisation and floods and landslides. The communication highlights for each of these threats the current status, trend and impact. Throughout the communication the major problem identified is the dramatic lack of policy relevant information on these threats in Europe. Information is generally scarce, fragmented, unreliable and generally not comparable between Member States. A somewhat better situation can be observed in the candidate countries, where a centralised economic system in the past has being actively promoting the collection of detailed soil information for planning purposes. Generally, a huge amount of scientific data have been collected so far by many different institutions in Europe (National soil surveys, Universities, Regional and Local authorities, etc.). While this information is often of high scientific value, it seldomly provides the necessary policy relevant information needed in order to design an effective soil protection strategy in Europe. We are still not capable to tell, for example, how many tonnes per hectare of soil a lost each year by erosion in Europe; what is the current concentration of soil organic carbon and how this concentration is changing over time; how many hectare per year of soil is sealed; etc… Future soil protection policies will only be effective if the extend and the evolution over time of soil degradation is known. Of course, for some of the threats, still basic research is needed in order to gain the necessary understanding of the underlying mechanisms. This is the case for soil biodiversity, where still only very little is known about the different species present in soils, with still many species probably still to be identified.

6. Current knowledge on the major soil threats is mostly based on estimated data by expert judgement. This is the case for the widely known GLASOD data set compiled in the early nineties by UNEP. This assessment is still the major source of information on soil degradation in Europe, with some updates provided by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and published in This assessment identifies soil contamination by pesticides, nitrates and phosphates together with water erosion as the major threats to soils in Europe. GLASOD data where also presented in form of maps, showing areas affected to soil degradation. Due to the very small scale of this assessment (1:20,000,000), designed to be a tool to be used for global assessments and not for Regional studies, the areas delineated in Europe are very roughly defined. Precise delineation of areas affected by the different degradation types requires much more detailed basic soil data. Currently the only harmonised European soil database is the 1:1,000,000 scale Soil Geographical Database of Europe compiled over the last 10 years by a large network of co-operating soil science institutions in Europe, known as the European Soil Bureau Network.

7. EUROPEAN SOIL BUREAU Soil data
A network of European Centers of Excellence in Soil Science EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA
Soil data
Currently the European Soil Bureau Network includes soil science institutions and national soil surveys in the European Union, the EU candidate countries, EFTA countries and many other bordering countries (Southern Mediterranean countries, Balkan countries and New Independent States). Through effective networking, a successful flow of soil data could be established from the participating institutions to the JRC, acting as the secretariat of the network. The network is currently managed by a steering committee of 7 institutions (INRA, CSIC, BGR, ALTERRA, SSLRC, NJOS, CSES). The best known product of this networking activity has been the European Soil Database at scale 1:1,000,000.
EUROPEAN SOIL BUREAU

8. The European Soil Database is a database, not a map
The European Soil Database is a database, not a map. It consists in a relational database defining a geometric data set of Soil Mapping Units (SMU), which represent the actual mapping unit delineated at a scale of 1:1,000,000. Such a relatively small scale can not represent the actual diversity of soil types. Consequently each SMU is a compound unit representing a spatial entity grouping together several soil types. These Soil Typological Units (STU) are organised within each SMU and can be representing variable proportions of the total surface of the SMU. This representativity within each SMU is reported in the table STU.ORG containing the STU’s distribution in each SMU. The relevant soil attributes (physical and chemical properties) are attached to each STU. This allows to extract out of such a system, with the aid of an appropriate GIS software, thematic maps for each of the attributes of the STU’s.

9. Extension of the European Soil Information System to the Russian Federation and the Mediterranean

11. Erosion

12. Decline in organic matter: Implications for the 3 Rio conventions
UNFCCC
Major terrestrial carbon pool (Kyoto protocol art. 3.4)
UNCBD
Major gene pool (Soil Biodiversity, COP Decisions III/11, IV/6 and V/5)
UNCCD
Major consequence of desertification

14. Organic carbon content of soils in Southern Europe is rapidly declining
In 1999, DG Environment asked the ESB for an assessment of the OC content of soils in southern Europe. We looked at the results obtained by applying the Pedotransfer Rule (PTR) to the European Soil Database (see previous slide) but we were unhappy with the overall pattern that emerged for the Mediterranean region.
Zdruli and Jones 1999 then estimated the OC content of the SMUs in southern Europe using expert judgement and some new data. The results of this study were then mapped … see above.
The results show that the soils of southern Europe contain significantly less OC than indicated by using the standard European PTR. Since soil degradation is a serious concern in southern Europe this result is highly significant.
After Zdruli & Jones ESB, JRC Ispra, 1999

15. Decline in biodiversity
The drop of forms
of life living in soil,
both in quantity
and in variety

16. Contamination The occurrence of contaminants in
soils above certain levels:
Local (contaminated sites)
Diffuse

17. Background levels of trace elements

18. Sealing The covering of soil for housing, roads or other
infrastructure

19. Soil sealing

20. Increase in build-up areas 1975-1990 Source: EEA 2002
Project LACOAST
in coastal areas
Increase in build-up areas
Source: EEA 2002

21. Compaction
The deterioration of soil structure (loss of soil features) by mechanical pressure

22. Susceptibility to
Subsoil Compaction

23. Salinisation
Accumulation in soils of soluble salts of sodium, magnesium and calcium

24. Hydrogeological risks
Floods and landslides related to soil and land management

25. Land Management Flood extent Hydrographs at any location
LISFLOOD
Hydrographs
at any location
Reservoirs and
retention areas
can be simulated
Inputs
Outputs

26. FAO EU Member States Regions Communes
From the Global to the Local Scale EUSIS - A nested soil information system for Europe
Different scales give answers to different questions
Global assessments
World Soil and Terrain Database
1 : 5,000,000
FAO
Soil Geographical Database of Europe
1 : 1,000,000 EU
1 : 250,000
Georeferenced Soil Database of Europe
Member States
Catchment Information System
1 : 50,000
Regions
First of all there is a scale issue. Data currently available for all of the European Union are at 1:1,000,000 scale, which may be a scale sufficient for pan-European assessments, but can not be a scale useful for actual policy implementation at National, Regional and Local scale. There we need to build more detailed databases containing information at a more precise scale. The European Soil Information System aims indeed towards the construction of a nested system of soil information allowing for a coherent scale transfer between the European and the more detailed scales at National level. Indeed, during the past years we have on one side tried to improve the information at 1:1,000,000 scale for Europe while providing the necessary technical and scientific framework (guidelines) for the development of more detailed soil databases coherent with the 1:1,000,000 scale information layer. These guidelines are available in the form of a Manual of Procedures titled “Georeferenced Soil Database for Europe” published by the European Communities and available in several languages. Of course these guidelines should be considered only as indicative since the legal framework for soil data collection at more detailed scale is still missing. The European Soil Database at 1:1,000,000 scale is on the other hand the scale of choice for the European Commission and will be one of the data layers to be included European Environmental Spatial Data Infrastructure (EESDI). Globally the information at 1:1,000,000 scale will form the base for deriving the European part of the Soil and Terrain Database (SOTER), coordinated by FAO and due to be completed in the near future.
Soil Monitoring Sites
1 : 5000
Communes
Spatial planning
Precision farming
EUROPEAN SOIL BUREAU

27. The Future: Soil information in space and time
Georeferenced Soil Database
Soil Monitoring Network
1:250,000 scale
Concerning the future, as we have seen, there is an urgent need to improve our knowledge on European soils both in space and in time. This means more accurate and precise soil databases, like the 1:250,000 scale Georeferenced Soil Database for Europe, but, more importantly, our knowledge of the evolution over time of the major soil degradation processes currently present in Europe. In order to gain such a time dimension in our flow of information we need to develop a coherent approach to soil monitoring at EU level. Both information layers, the spatial dimension and the time dimension, should form the future European System of Soil Data as outlined in the soil communication. Such a system should provide reliable and policy relevant soil information in support of the future EU Thematic Strategy on Soil Protection.
SPACE
TIME
European System of Soil Data

28. National soil surveys Soil inventories Soil monitoring SPACE TIME
As mentioned in the soil communication, the future soil information system should be based on existing initiatives in order to avoid duplication of efforts and increase cost effectiveness. At National level extensive soil inventories exist at different scales ranging from the 1:1,000,000 scale down to very detailed scales like 1:5,000. Also most of the EU Member States have a soil monitoring network in place with various site densities and sampling strategies. Only Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and Ireland lack completely a soil monitoring system. There are consequently many National initiatives that need to be taken into account in the design of the future system of soil data. Of course, lack of harmonisation of analytical methods, sampling strategy and data formats makes these efforts hardly comparable across borders; but with appropriate data transfer procedures, there could be still a wealth of information that could be usefully fed into the process of developing an EU Thematic Strategy on Soil Protection.
SPACE
TIME

29. LUCAS (Land Use and Cover Annual Survey)
At each sampling unit the surveyor records a quite extensive list of land use and environmental data. Among the data recorded, different types of erosion are observed: gully erosion, rill erosion, etc.. Also relevant for a soil monitoring purpose is the information about natural hazards, like floodings and landslides, listed as one of the major threats in the soil communication.

30. ICP Forest Soil Monitoring Network
One of the best known pan-European soil monitoring initiatives is the forest soil condition survey in the framework of ICP Forest. It started in 1986 and is managed by the Forest Soil Coordinating Centre in Ghent directed by Prof. Eric van Ranst. This programme monitors forest soils on a regular 16 x 16 km grid at two level of intensities: Level I for general monitoring and level two for intensive monitoring. Besides soil parameters a number of other data are collected relevant to the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution (UN/ECE).

31. Inventory of existing systems (National and European)
Specifications of a European Community information and monitoring system on soil threats
Inventory of existing systems (National and European)
Proposal for soil monitoring in Europe:
Level I: Flexible grid at 16 x 16 km (1:1,000,000 scale) incorporating existing National and European systems
Organic matter, Biodiversity, diffuse Contamination
Level II: Stratified sub-sample of level I (10%) for benchmarking and intensive monitoring
Physical degradation, Salinisation, local Contamination (hot spots)
Level III: Specialized monitoring sites using advanced techniques (remote sensing, modeling, dedicated measurements)
Erosion, Sealing, Hydro geological risks (floods, landslides)

32. Level I Level I: Grid-based  Basic monitoring on a regular grid
 Decline organic matter, loss of soil biodiversity,
diffuse soil contamination,
 Under National responsibility
. Use of the existing systems
. Flexibility
 QA/QC procedures: inter-laboratory calibration

33. European Soil Monitoring Network
Level I simulation (extension of ICP forest)
16 x 16 km cell size
21,760 cells

34. Soil
Grid
Land cover
Comparison
Statistics for all Europe
Statistics for grid points

35. Comparison of the frequencies of distributions
All Europe
Grid-points
Relative frequencies
Soil x Corine Land Cover
Soil x Land-Cover Europe Grid-points
Bd x % %
Lo x % %
Be x % %
Bk x % %
… …

36. Level II: Reference sites
 Selection of sites by National and European
institutions ( 10%)
 Soil physical degradation, soil salinization, local
soil contamination (hot spots)
 Sampling at National level (delineation of risk)
 Analysis and archiving at European level with
only one laboratory and one common archiving
 Include level I analysis (benchmarking)

37. European Soil Monitoring Network Level II simulation
16 x16 km cell size
Level I = 21,760 cells
Level II  2,000 cells

38. Level III: Specialised sites
 Small areas representative of climatic and
landscape conditions (ex: catchments)
 Soil erosion, soil sealing, hydrological risks
 Dedicated measurements (spatial process)
 Extrapolation by models
(parameters in levels I and II, remote sensing…)

39. INSPIRE Thematic Components COGI INSPIRE Expert Group
Chair: ESTAT
INSPIRE Expert Group
Chair : DG ENV & ESTAT
Phase 1: Environmental Sector
Technical Co-ordination & Secretariat
JRC Ispra - Institute for Environment and Sustainability
…..
biodiversity
soils
seveso
urban
noise
forest
water
Environmental
components
Common Reference
Data & Metadata
Chair : ESTAT
Inter-sectoral
co-ordination
Chair: ESTAT
Environmental
thematic
co-ordination
Chair: EEA
Architecture
& Standards
Chair : JRC Ispra
Agricultural
components
Legal Aspects
& Data Policy
Chair : UK
Agricultural
thematic
co-ordination
Chair:
Funding &
Implementation
structures
Chair : SE
Transport
components
Transport
thematic
co-ordination
Chair:
Impact
Analysis
Chair : NL
Other
components
Other
thematic
co-ordination
Chair:
Horizontal
Components
INSPIRE
Phase 2: other sectors

40. Soil Policy Development - Organisational Set-up
Advisory Forum
Chair DG ENV
Stakeholders meetings
TWG 1
Monitoring
TWG 2
Erosion
TWG 3
Organic matter
TWG 4
Contamination
ISWG = Interservice Working Group
TWG = Technical Working Group
Commission
ISWG
Technical co-ordination group and secretariat
TWG5
Research
10/10/2002

41. Time for action ! Erosion Decline of soil organic matter
Specific measures (CAP, Regional policy, etc.)
Decline of soil organic matter
Specific measures (Biowaste dir., Sewage sludge dir., etc.)
Soil contamination
Specific measures (Mining waste dir., etc.)
Monitoring
Directive on soil monitoring

42. Streamlining the flow of policy relevant soil information in EuropeTowards knowledge based policy making
Georeferenced Soil Database for Europe
EU Soil Monitoring
(ICP Forest+LUCAS,etc.)
Reporting policy relevant soil data aggregated by administrative units
Ideally such a streamlined European system of soil data should facilitate the transfer of information from both the National and the European soil monitoring programmes to an harmonised georeferenced soil database. Information should be aggregated in meaningful spatial units (Soilscapes) therefore post-stratifying the data according to soil types. Reporting of policy relevant soil information should be done by deriving information out of the Georeferenced soil database for Europe and aggregating the information per administrative units, for example EUROSTAT’s NUTS3 level. As an example, the preliminary results of some of our soil erosion risk assessment activities is reported, showing soil erosion risk in five classes aggregated by NUTS3 administrative units.
Thank you very much for your attention,
National Soil Monitoring
National Soil Surveys
Soil Mapping Unit
(Soilscape)
Normalised Statistical Unit
ACCESS HARMONISATION REPORTING