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Project title

Characterising and mapping relationships between Tellus soil geochemistry data and rapidly-assessed soil biodiversity in Ireland

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

Geological Survey of Ireland

Lead Organisation

University College Dublin (UCD)

Lead Applicant

Olaf Schmidt

Project Abstract

The EU Soil Strategy for 2030, describes a target of achieving healthy soils by 2050, with concrete actions by 2030. In Ireland, there is a commitment in the Programme for Government 2020 to develop a National Soils Strategy leading to a comprehensive legislative framework for soil. Healthy soils are essential in achieving climate neutrality, reversing biodiversity loss, providing healthy food and safeguarding human health. The main aim of the TellSoilBio project is to increase our scientific knowledge of soils in Ireland leading to better protection of soils and their biological diversity and quality. Specifically, the TellSoilBio project will, for the first time, quantify spatial correlations between soil geochemistry and soil biodiversity and will provide mapped information on “hot spots” and “cool spots” in soil biodiversity in relation to soil geochemical patterns. This will be done in a spatially explicit, realistic and achievable manner at a regional, sub-national scale primarily using existing soil geochemical data from the ongoing Tellus Project (topsoil multi-elemental dataset) and new soil biodiversity data on microbial and faunal taxa, as well as functional genes, to be generated by the project with rapid and high-throughput techniques (DNA sequencing, deep learning image analysis). By identifying “hot” and “cool” spots in soil biodiversity in relation to soil geochemical patterns using hot spot analysis and related spatial analysis tools supported by Geographical Information Systems, the project will improve our understanding of natural patterns in soil biodiversity, as well as agricultural productivity and the suitability of land for uses that rely on soil biological activity (e.g. landspreading of industrial organic wastes). The mapped outputs from the project will inform the development of a sustainable soil protection strategy in Ireland by enabling policy makers to modify, tailor and better spatially target any measures and management recommendations. This will improve the effectiveness of soil protection, nature conservation and soil-derived ecosystem services (including agricultural production); for example, protection measures could be concentrated on areas that are soil biodiversity hotspots. Addressing other aspects of the call, the project will also analyse newly generated and historic soil biodiversity data from Ireland in order to identify the best indicator taxa and the techniques to monitor them. Furthermore, the project will review and synthesize information on how to reduce the impacts of environmental degradation and land use practices on soil biodiversity in Ireland. The review will focus on chemical pollution (including landspreading of sewage products); intensive agriculture (including soil compaction); and land use change from grassland to coniferous plantations. TellSoilBio is a medium sized collaborative project of 36 months, comprising four academic staff and two postdoctoral researchers from two UCD schools and NUIG. The project team combines distinctive scientific expertise (in soil biodiversity and in spatial geochemistry), it will co-design and communicate with stakeholders, and it will disseminate and transfer project results widely to deliver successful outcomes and impacts. The project acronym encapsulates the project’s ambition to characterise and map the relationship between TELLus SOIL geochemistry data and rapidly assessed soil BIOdiversity in Ireland – TellSoilBio!

Grant Approved

�249,602.79

Research Hub

Natural Environment

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

01/03/2023

Initial Projected Completion Date

28/02/2026