Soil research challenges in response to emerging agricultural soil management practices

authored by

Anja K. Techen, Katharina Helming, Nicolas Brüggemann, Edzo Veldkamp, Barbara Reinhold-Hurek, Marco Lorenz, Stephan Bartke, Uwe Heinrich, Wulf Amelung, Katja Augustin, Jens Boy, Marife Corre, Rainer Duttman, Robin Gebbers, Norman Gentsch, Rita Grosch, Georg Guggenberger, Jürgen Kern, Ralf Kiese, Michael Kuhwald, Peter Leinweber, Michael Schloter, Martin Wiesmeier, Traud Winkelmann, Hans Jörg Vogel

Abstract

Agricultural management is a key force affecting soil processes and functions. Triggered by biophysical constraints as well as rapid structural and technological developments, new management practices are emerging with largely unknown impacts on soil processes and functions. This impedes assessments of the potential of such emerging practices for sustainable intensification, a paradigm coined to address the growing demand for food and nonfood products. In terms of soil management, sustainable intensification means that soil productivity is increased while other soil functions and services, such as carbon storage and habitat for organisms, are simultaneously maintained or even improved. In this paper we provide an overview of research challenges to better understand how emerging soil management practices affect soil processes and functions. We distinguish four categories of soil management practices: spatial arrangements of cropping systems, crops and rotations, mechanical pressures, and inputs into the soil. Key research needs identified for each include nutrient efficiency in agroforestry versus conventional cropping systems, soil-rhizosphere microbiome elucidation to understand the interacting roles of crops and rotations, the effects of soil compaction on soil–plant–atmosphere interactions, and the ecotoxicity of plastics, pharmaceuticals and other pollutants that are introduced into the soil. We establish an interdisciplinary, systemic approach to soil science and include cross-cutting research activities related to process modeling, data management, stakeholder interaction, sustainability assessment and governance. The identification of soil research challenges from the perspective of agricultural management facilitates cooperation between different scientific disciplines in the field of sustainable agricultural production.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Soil Science
Institute of Horticultural Production Systems

External Organisation(s)

Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)
Forschungszentrum Jülich
University of Göttingen
University of Bremen
Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries
German government environmental agency (UBA)
Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health
University of Bonn
Kiel University
Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)
Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
University of Rostock
Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde (HNEE)
Technical University of Munich (TUM)

Type

Contribution to book/anthology

Pages

179-240

No. of pages

62

Publication date

2020

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Agronomy and Crop Science, Soil Science

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 2 - Zero Hunger

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.agron.2020.01.002 (Access: Closed)