main threats on soil biodiversity: pressures and …...eurosoil 2008 – soil quality workshop 3...
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EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 1
Joint Research Centre (JRC)IES - Institute for Environment and SustainabilityIspra - Italy
http://ies.jrc.ec.europa.eu/http://www.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
Main threats on Soil Biodiversity:pressures and driving forces
Ciro Gardi
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 2
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SOIL BIODIVERSITY ?
• The range of organisms present in soil
• The variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 3
SOIL AS BIODIVERSITY RESERVOIR
BACTERIA FUNGI
PROTOZOA - NEMATODES
INSECTS- ARACHNIDSWORMS- MOLLUSCS
PLANTS ROOTS
100,000 100- 500 species
10,000 50-100 species
50 km filaments 500-1000 species
100,000,000,000 10,000 species
500 m 10-50 species
5,000100 - 500 species
Mammals! moles, mice…
Erik
a M
iche
li
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 4
SOIL AS BIODIVERSITY RESERVOIR
• in 1 ha of arable soil there are approximately 5 tonnes of living organisms (equivalent to 100 sheep)
• if we consider a grassland soil the quantity of living organisms will be equivalent to 2000 sheep!!!
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 5
SOIL BIODIVERSITY FUNCTIONS
• Soil organisms are responsible for supplying the environment with a number of critically important ecosystem services
• Soil formation• Decomposition of organic matter• Soil fertility and plant growth• Water infiltration and retention• Degradation of pollutants• Pollination
• However the knowledge on the function performed by soil biota is still very limited…..
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 6
ABOVE-BELOW GROUND
• … such as the knowledge on the relationships between above and below-ground biodiversity…
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 7
THE SPATIAL SCALE OF SOIL BIODIVERSITY FUNCTIONS
Farm level:• Contributes to the productive capacity of the
system by ensuring the mineralisation of nutrients from organic resources and nitrogen fixation;
• Buffers the functions of the soil and their resilience to climatic and environmental risks.
Regional/national level: • Ensure short term and long term resilience of
food security;
• Increases the aesthetic appeal of rural landscapes, assuming a positive relation between below- and above-ground diversity.
Global level:• Biogeochemical cycles (organic matter
mineralization, nitrogen fixation, etc);
• Value of future possible but as yet unknown uses or functions associated with some aspects of soil diversity.
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 8
THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF SOIL BIODIVERSITY
1,542Total
200Many pollinators may have edaphic phase in their life-cycle
Pollination
160Soil provide microhabitats for natural enemies of pest, soil biota (e.g. mycorrhizas) contribute to host plant resistance and plant pathogens control.
Biocontrol of pests
6Nearly half of the current economic benefit of biotechnology related to agriculture involving nitrogen fixing bacteria, pharmaceutical industry, etc
Biotechnology
121Maintaining biodiversity in soils and water is imperative to the continued and improved effectiveness of bioremediation and biotreatment.
Bioremediation of chemicals
90Biological nitrogen fixation by diazotrophbacteria
Nitrogen fixation
25Diverse soil biota facilitate soil formation, e.g. earthworms, termites, fungi, etc
Soil formation
760Various saprophytic and litter feeding invertebrates (detritivores), fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes and other microorganisms
Waste recycling
World economic benefits of biodiversity (x $109 / year)
Soil biodiversity involved in such activityActivity
1,542Total
200Many pollinators may have edaphic phase in their life-cycle
Pollination
160Soil provide microhabitats for natural enemies of pest, soil biota (e.g. mycorrhizas) contribute to host plant resistance and plant pathogens control.
Biocontrol of pests
6Nearly half of the current economic benefit of biotechnology related to agriculture involving nitrogen fixing bacteria, pharmaceutical industry, etc
Biotechnology
121Maintaining biodiversity in soils and water is imperative to the continued and improved effectiveness of bioremediation and biotreatment.
Bioremediation of chemicals
90Biological nitrogen fixation by diazotrophbacteria
Nitrogen fixation
25Diverse soil biota facilitate soil formation, e.g. earthworms, termites, fungi, etc
Soil formation
760Various saprophytic and litter feeding invertebrates (detritivores), fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes and other microorganisms
Waste recycling
World economic benefits of biodiversity (x $109 / year)
Soil biodiversity involved in such activityActivity
(from
Pim
ente
l et a
l., 1
997)
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 9
Crops are threatened by soil-borne disease, that can cause severe yield decrease and economic damage. Soil has the potential to limit the effect of soil-borne diseases.
THE UNKNOWN VALUE OF SOIL BIODIVERSITY
Soil represents an important source of commonly used antibiotics.
Many scientist are looking at soil biodiversity, especially in remote areas, in an attempt to find the most promising medicines for the future.
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 10
SOIL BIODIVERSITY DECLINE
• Species extinction is a natural process
• The natural rate of extinction is 12 species/year
• We are actually experiencing the 6th Mass Extinction, losing 15,000-30,000 species every year
• Soil organisms are not excluded by this process, that represent one of the main threats for the future of the Earth
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 11
SOIL BIODIVERSITY DECLINE
Why we need to protect soil biodiversity?
• Economical/utilitarian reasons
• Ecological reasons
• Ethical reasons
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 12
SOIL BIODIVERSITY DECLINE• loss of biological diversity• reduction of soil organisms quantity
DPSIR Framework and Soil Biodiversity
• SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT•Environmental policy
•Soil protection
• CHANGE OF THE ECOLOGICAL STRUCTURE
• Change of ecosystem functions
• Loss of ecosystem goods and servicesClimate change
Land use changeHabitat disruptionSoil organic matter declineSoil erosionSoil compactionSoil sealingSoil pollutionHuman intensive exploitationGMO pollutionInvasive speciesHabitat fragmentation
DrivingForces
Pressures
Responses
Impact
State
•Increase of human population•Change of life styleEnergy consumptionLand use changeLand use intensityAgricultural intensityDissipative use of chemicalsGMO use, trade and releaseGlobalizationMobility infrastructures
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 13
INVASIVE SPECIES
Pressure Driving forceClimate change Energy consumption
Land use intensityAgricultural intensity
Ecosystem/habitat disruption Land use changeLand use intensity
Soil erosion Land use intensityEnergy consumption (via climate change)
Soil compaction Agricultural intensity
Chemical pollution Agricultural intensityDissipative use of chemicals
Soil organic matter decline Agricultural intensityEnergy consumption (via climate change)
Human exploitation Land use changeLand use intensityAgriculture and animal husbandry intensity
GMO pollution GMO production, trade and release
Invasive species Globalization
Habitat fragmentation Land use changeMobility infrastructures
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 14
CLIMATE CHANGE
Energy consumptionLand use change/intensity
Agricultural intensity Climate Change
Driving forces Pressures
• Climate change, by the mean of temperature and precipitation variations in time and space, will play a major role among soil biodiversity threats• There is a need to predict the alteration of soil biodiversity patterns due to global climate change• Researches in the extreme environment can provide important information on the effect of climate change on soil biodiversity and ecosystem function• Experimental results from extreme environment demonstrated that the temperature rise determine an increase in bacteria, fungi and nematode density, but a reduction of biodiversity (Ruess et al., 1999)
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 15
• Land use change and the consequent habitat and ecosystem disruption, is probably the main threat on biodiversity • Among soil biota the greatest effects will be seen more quickly on soil macro and mesofauna (Wall et al., 2001)
Land use changeLand use intensity
Ecosystemdisruption
Driving forces Pressures
ECOSYSTEM/HABITAT DISRUPTION
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 16
SOIL EROSION
Land use change/intensityAgricultural intensity
Energy consumption (via CC) Soil Erosion
Driving forces Pressures
• Soil erosion affects managed and natural ecosystem, and the consequences of this process on soil biodiversity will be both direct and indirect• The direct effect of soil erosion consists in the removal of soil biota and its habitat• The indirect effects are played through the vegetation regulation
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 17
SOIL COMPACTION
Agricultural intensity Soil compaction
Driving forces Pressures
• The use of heavy load machinery in agriculture and the reduction in soil organic carbon content can determine soil compaction• High soil bulk densities affect root penetration, soil pore volume, water infiltration and air permeability, and thus, finally the pore space habitable for soil organisms and the soil environmental conditions• The effects of soil compaction are not the same among the different groups of soil organism (Bouwman and Arts, 2000), but in general the process led to a reduction or a modification of soil biodiversity• It also can move the soil toward anaerobic conditions, which change the types and distribution of soil organisms in the food web
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 18
SOIL BIODIVERSITY: THE WIDER CONTEXT
NATURE CONSERVATION
Birds DirectiveHabitat Directive
Natura 2000
EU BIODIVERSITY POLICY
1998 – EU Biodiversity Startegy2001 – V Action Plan2006 – Com. alting Biodiv. Loss 2010
1992 – Global Biodiversity (CBD)International Initiative on soil biodiversity (FAO)
UNCCD
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 19
SOIL BIODIVERSITY AND SOIL FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 20
CONCLUSIONS
• Inventory and monitoring are the necessary tools for the achievement of an adequate level of knowledge on soil biodiversity status and for the detection of hot spots as well as areas subject to decline.
• This is the first step for the implementation of policies finalized to biodiversity protection.
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 21
JRC ACTIVITIES
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 22
JRC ACTIVITIES
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 23
Thank You
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 24
CHEMICAL POLLUTION
Energy consumptionLand use change/intensity
Agricultural intensity Climate Change
Driving forces Pressures
•Climate change, by the mean of temperature and precipitation variations in time and space, will play a major role among soil biodiversity threats• There is a need to predict the alteration of soil biodiversity patterns due to global climate change• Researches in the extreme environment can provide important information on the effect of climate change on soil biodiversity and ecosystem function• Experimental results from extreme environment demonstrated that the temperature rise determine an increase in bacteria, fungi and nematode density, but a reduction of biodiversity (Ruess et al., 1999)
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 25
SOIL ORGANIC CARBON DECLINE
Energy consumptionLand use change/intensity
Agricultural intensity Climate Change
Driving forces Pressures
•Climate change, by the mean of temperature and precipitation variations in time and space, will play a major role among soil biodiversity threats• There is a need to predict the alteration of soil biodiversity patterns due to global climate change• Researches in the extreme environment can provide important information on the effect of climate change on soil biodiversity and ecosystem function• Experimental results from extreme environment demonstrated that the temperature rise determine an increase in bacteria, fungi and nematode density, but a reduction of biodiversity (Ruess et al., 1999)
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 26
HUMAN EXPLOITATION
Energy consumptionLand use change/intensity
Agricultural intensity Climate Change
Driving forces Pressures
•Climate change, by the mean of temperature and precipitation variations in time and space, will play a major role among soil biodiversity threats• There is a need to predict the alteration of soil biodiversity patterns due to global climate change• Researches in the extreme environment can provide important information on the effect of climate change on soil biodiversity and ecosystem function• Experimental results from extreme environment demonstrated that the temperature rise determine an increase in bacteria, fungi and nematode density, but a reduction of biodiversity (Ruess et al., 1999)
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 27
GMO POLLUTION
Energy consumptionLand use change/intensity
Agricultural intensity Climate Change
Driving forces Pressures
•Climate change, by the mean of temperature and precipitation variations in time and space, will play a major role among soil biodiversity threats• There is a need to predict the alteration of soil biodiversity patterns due to global climate change• Researches in the extreme environment can provide important information on the effect of climate change on soil biodiversity and ecosystem function• Experimental results from extreme environment demonstrated that the temperature rise determine an increase in bacteria, fungi and nematode density, but a reduction of biodiversity (Ruess et al., 1999)
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 28
HABITAT FRAGMENTATION
Energy consumptionLand use change/intensity
Agricultural intensity Climate Change
Driving forces Pressures
•Climate change, by the mean of temperature and precipitation variations in time and space, will play a major role among soil biodiversity threats• There is a need to predict the alteration of soil biodiversity patterns due to global climate change• Researches in the extreme environment can provide important information on the effect of climate change on soil biodiversity and ecosystem function• Experimental results from extreme environment demonstrated that the temperature rise determine an increase in bacteria, fungi and nematode density, but a reduction of biodiversity (Ruess et al., 1999)
EUROSOIL 2008 – Soil Quality Workshop 29
INVASIVE SPECIES
Energy consumptionLand use change/intensity
Agricultural intensity Climate Change
Driving forces Pressures
•Climate change, by the mean of temperature and precipitation variations in time and space, will play a major role among soil biodiversity threats• There is a need to predict the alteration of soil biodiversity patterns due to global climate change• Researches in the extreme environment can provide important information on the effect of climate change on soil biodiversity and ecosystem function• Experimental results from extreme environment demonstrated that the temperature rise determine an increase in bacteria, fungi and nematode density, but a reduction of biodiversity (Ruess et al., 1999)