Mechanistic understanding of multi-functionality

Useful for research at the field scale for agricultural land management.

The BIOSIS platform and method selection tool can be used to further develop our scientific understanding of the interactions between soil biota and soil processes with the ultimate aim to mechanistically quantify the impact (positive or negative) of specific management practices or edaphic conditions on specific soil functions or multi-functionality, typically at the field scale. Such assessments are mostly conducted by smaller teams of researchers; as a result, the associated lab analyses and data processing strongly depend on in-house expertise and specialised laboratory facilities. In this context, reproducibility of the results and cost of analyses are important factors to consider during the selection of the most appropriate soil quality assessment methods, while technical criteria related to sample collection (amount of sample, temporal and spatial sampling designs) may be considered less constraining. The platform aims to not only provide support in which methods to assess but also offers academic training courses to develop a range of laboratory skills for the four soil functions described.

Drawing created in collaboration with Marije Barel (www.mybesign.nl)

Method Selection Tool