Next week, 16th March from 10-12 AM, the WP3 discussion group will assemble during an online meeting to discuss about the framework concerning data analysis. Some of the main points will focus on:

  • Filling in the metadata file
  • Data collection for downstream analysis
  • Data analysis how? who?
  • Publication strategy

The main objective of WP3 is to determine the current status of the soil biodiversity across Europe in relation to climate conditions, soil characteristics, cropping and agricultural management systems. The results will be used as a reference or baseline for the establishment of soil biodiversity targets (WP7). To achieve this goal a sampling campaign was planned in 9 European pedoclimatic areas in conventional and organic farming systems.

However, due to the COVID-19 crisis the working plan had to be adapted. Sampling in the Pannonian pedoclimatic region was delayed and lab analyses postponed. Currently, all the samples are taken and as good as all the data collected. The SoildiverAgro-team took during the first year a large number of samples: 188 bulk soil samples, 940 soil bulk density samples, 564 earthworm samples and 92 wheat grain samples. It is now time to make plans about analysing and comparing the data.

The discussion group is composed of members of the SoildiverAgro-project responsible for data gathering and analysis, complemented with experts in bio-informatics and statistics. The latter are required due to the complexity and large number of data collected.