Work Package 3 (WP3): Soil biodiversity assessment in European cropping systems
Leader: EIGEN VERMOGEN VAN HET INSTITUUT VOOR LANDBOUW EN VISSERIJONDERZOEK (Belgium). L. Waeyenberge.
Deputy Leader: LUONNONVARAKESKUS (Finland)
The main objective is to establish a reference for biodiversity assessments during the further progress of the SoildiverAgro-project by determining the current status of the biodiversity in different European croplands across the major European pedoclimatic regions in relation with climate conditions, soil characteristics, cropping and management systems.
The results will be used as a reference for the establishment of soil biodiversity target (WP7).
The specific objectives are:
- To provide a consortium-wide common framework for standardization of procedures for sampling, sample processing, data acquisition, data storage/sharing, and data analysis.
- To review existing knowledge on the current diversity status of soil micro-organisms and soil fauna along the major European pedoclimatic agricultural regions.
- To experimentally assess the relationship between soil biodiversity, soil properties and climatic conditions.
- To experimentally evaluate the variation of biodiversity in long-term cropping systems under different agricultural management regimes (conventional and organic) in Europe.
