Gergely Tóth 1 , Luca Montanarella 1 , György Várallyay 2 , Tibor Tóth 2 and Nikola Filippi 1

1. Strengthening optimal food chain element transport by minimizing soil degradation: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SOIL THREATS IDENTIFICATION ON DIFFERENT SCALES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION Gergely Tóth1, Luca Montanarella1, György Várallyay2, Tibor Tóth2 and Nikola Filippi1 1European Commission Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Land Management and Natural Hazards Unit 2Research institute for Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

2. Framework of soil protection in the EU Preservation of soil functions - biomass production, - physical and cultural environment for humans - biodiversity pool - archive of geological and acheological heritage - source of raw material - acting as carbon pool - storing filtering and transforming nutrients, substances and water Prevention of threats to soil - erosion, - soil organic matter decline, - salinization - compaction, - landslides - (soil sealing, contamination) Integration of soil protection measures and principles to other policies Based on the upcomingDirective on ProtectionandSustainable Use of Soil and on EC Communication(2002/179)

3. The ’Two Tiers’ concept Tier 1, is a step to provide tool for risk area identification based on qualitative or model-based descriptions using lower data resolution. (European level) Tier 2, is a second step, to provide tool, for risk area delineation and characterization based on higher resolution data. (Member States level)

4. Flow of information on soil threat

5. Conditions exemined for each threats(to define common criteria of risk identification throughout Europe) • identification of factors/hazards related to the threat („external” factors) • characterization of the receptor relevant to the threat („internal” soil factors) • performance specification, model selection (with data requirements)

6. Tier Target Description Tier 1 Broad risk zones identification (problem identification and localization) available data at European-level Geographical scale of 1:1,000,000/1:250,000 Soil-specific qualitative approach, and/or Model-based (pedo-transfer rule) approach combined with thresholds indicators Tier 2 Detailed risk zone delineation. Measures/implementation plans to protect and/or prevent soils within the risk zones Data available/relevant at the Member State level (e.g. regional soil maps) Qualitative/quantitative/model approach Application of the two tiers approach

7. Common criteria Data source/type of information Data Quality /Resolution Tier 1 Tier 2 soil typological unit European Soil Database; National soil databases 1:1,000,000 (1:250,000) national soil texture texture class; Sand, Silt, Clay content texture class particle size soil hydraulic properties hydraulic conductivity, water retention, drainage not required for in Tier 1 national profile data base; soil inventory / monitoring irrigation areas and chemical properties of irrigated water irrigated area, irrigation intensity, salt content, sodicity, alkalinity of irrigation water national registries regional registry groundwater information depth, salt content, sodicity, alkalinity European Groundwater Database (salt concentration, type of salt) regional database climate annual rainfall, annual potential evapotranspiration 1 km raster size (modelled from national weather station network) same or higher Summary Table Common Criteria:Salinization

8. Salt affected soils in Europe (source: I. Szabolcs, 1974)

9. Common criteria Data source/type of information Data Quality /Resolution Tier 1 Tier 2 SMU/STU delineation National soil databases national regional STU topsoil and subsoil texture texture class or mean silt, clay and sand content texture class particle size STU description bulk density, water retention, organic matter content, structure, mechanical properties pedotransfer functions or rules measurements climate rainfall, PET average year with monthly or 10-day data NUTS 3 or 50 km 20 to30 years with one day data 10 km land use statistical data about agriculture and forestry: crop types and forest areas, types of farming systems (annual crops, vineyards, animal breeding, etc.), type of forests NUTS 3 NUTS 4 farming and forest systems typology of farming systems or forestry systems in relation to land use data expert knowledge survey data land cover localisation of agricultural areas, forest areas, etc. using data like CORINE land cover 250 m 100 m slope Digital Elevation Model 250 m 90 m Summary Table Common Criteria:Compaction

10. Susceptibility to Subsoil Compaction in Europe (source: Jones, R.J.A. et al., 2004)

11. Common criteria Data source/type of information Data Quality /Resolution Tier 1 Tier 2 soil typological unit (STU) (soil type) European/national soil databases national level regional level soil texture (STU level) sand, silt, clay content texture class particle size soil density, hydraulic properties (STU level) bulk density, packing density, water retention art field capacity and wilting point pedo-transfer-rules (PTR) or functions measured data topography gradient (slope), length 250m (SRTM) 90m land cover land cover type 250m 100m land use land use, agricultural statistics NUTS3 NUTS4 climate precipitation, rainfall, snowfall, number of rain days, storm events, PET, temperature 10 km daily average 50km daily average 1 km raster (modelled from national hydrological conditions catchment information system, DEM 10km 1km agro-ecological zone based on soil, climate, landscape 50km 1km Summary Table Common Criteria:Erosion

12. Soil erosion risk in Europe Source: Pan-European Soil Erosion Risk Assessment (PESERA)

13. common criteria data source/type of information minimum data quality /resolution Tier 1 Tier 2 soil typological unit (soil type) soil type: provide 1:1,000,000 (1:250,000) 1:250,000 or larger soil texture/clay content standard textural analysis; textural classes according to official classification not required for Tier 1 national profile data base; soil inventory/monitoring soil organic carbon (concentration) analysis: dry combustion, [g/kg], or pedo-transfer function not required for Tier 1 forest floor, peaty layers, 0-30 cm soil organic carbon (stock) [kg/m2], [t/ha]; requires: - stone content - bulk density not required for Tier 1 forest floor, peaty layers, 0-30 cm climate annual average precipitation; annual average temperature 10 km grid climatic data 1 km raster size (modelled from national weather station network) slope, exposition, position in relief DEM 250m same or higher land cover/land use CORINE; LUCAS SSU extended by soil type; management statistics 250m NUTS III same or higher Summary Table Common Criteria:SOM Decline

14. Organic carbon contentin the surface horizon (0-30 cm) of soils in Europe

15. Carbon Sequestration Rate, CSR Potential Carbon Sequestration, PCS Carbon Loss Rate, CLR Potential Carbon Loss, PCL Bringing soil carbon to policy & decisions tC Max tC Max & Min tC are soil specific Actual tC Min tC Years

16. Conclusions - A proposal for common criteria for delineation of areas in risk of soil degradation has been prepared (bySIWG, JRC and ESBN). - It should be achievable to develop a common framework, which attempts to keep the linkage of soil information in EU Member States with pan-European data. - Much efforts still have to be conducted to establish an efficient workflow for updating and maintaining thematic layers with highly detailed information (in a participatory approach). - The new "Multiscale EUropean Soil Information System" should be integrated into more comprehensive/multi-layer monitoring and reporting programmes, for example the Commission's Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) initiative. - In this manner the infrastructure and access to soil information transfer can be developed to assist the protection of the multifunctionality of soils and contribute to optimal food chain element transport.