Design and operation of a UK soil monitoring network Science Report – SC060073
Read the full reportThe report emphasises the critical role of monitoring soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, bulk density and several nutrient and metal concentrations as key indicators of soil quality and health. It proposes a tiered soil monitoring network to assess and track changes in soil quality across various land uses and regions, aiming to enhance understanding of spatial and temporal variability for effective soil management and carbon sequestration.
The report focuses on designing a soil monitoring network that includes key indicators of soil quality such as soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, bulk density, and several nutrient and metal concentrations.
It emphasises the monitoring of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil pH as critical indicators.
The goal is to assess the status of soils and identify changes over time, which directly relates to soil health and carbon sequestration.
Proposed a tiered soil monitoring network (Tier 1, 2, and 3) to assess the current status and changes in soil quality across different land uses and regions.
Discussed the importance of understanding spatial and temporal variability in soil indicators to design an effective monitoring network.
Recommendations for policy implementation
- Defined action levels and tolerance intervals for various soil health indicators to inform policy actions.
- Recommended stratified random sampling as the most effective design for monitoring soil indicators.
- Suggested leveraging existing soil data and monitoring schemes to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the new monitoring network.
- Provided a detailed breakdown of the costs and resources required for implementing the monitoring network.
Read the full report
Design and operation of a UK soil monitoring network Science Report – SC060073