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SEERAD Programme of Agricultural, Biological and Related Research 2002-2003

THEME 1: SOIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

SUMMARY OF COSTS:

THEME 1: SOIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Theme 1 of the SEERAD-funded research programme provides a strategic research programme that underpins the sustainable management of soils and the protection of water quality. The research activities described here provide knowledge that directly supports and complements the programme of research in the Themes that follow, especially in relation to plant growth and development and systems research.

Soil is produced when weathered rock material is modified over time by the addition of organic matter, by biological activity, and through the action of temperature and moisture. Soil and water with air provide the medium in which most vascular plants grow: they are the basis from which terrestrial ecosystems derive and globally support the majority of the world's food production. The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report (1996) The Sustainable Use of Soil recognised that soils are not an infinite commodity, describing them as a vital resource " which we believe has been taken too much for granted".

Basic studies of soil physics and soil microbiology provide the foundation for studies of soil nutrient cycling and soil protection, and this is reflected in the structure of Theme 1. These activities are improving our understanding of how soils can be managed to provide for economically viable agriculture, whilst limiting any negative environmental impacts. Information from the research of soils is available to inform studies of water quality, the importance of which is emphasised by the EU Water Framework Directive. The overall purpose of this Directive is to prevent further deterioration, to protect and enhance the status of aquatic ecosystems, and to contribute to the provision of sufficient supply of good quality surface water and groundwater, as needed for sustainable, balanced and equitable water use. In the context of sustainable land management, the emphasis of pollution impacts has shifted from point sources of pollution to diffuse sources, and from field scale to catchment scale studies. All these changes are reflected in the evolution of our programme of water quality research.

Of the five key end use communities identified in the ABRG Strategy for Agricultural, Biological and Related Research 1999-2003 (sustainable agriculture, environment and natural heritage, nutrition and human health, food and bioindustries and rural communities and development), Theme 1 is most relevant to the first two categories. Sustainable agriculture requires balancing the exploitation of natural resources, maintaining an economically viable industry and minimising the environmental impact of that industry. Theme 1 provides the underpinning knowledge that will enable the primary resources of soil and water to be managed in a sustainable manner. Soil nutrient resources can be conserved through the understanding of soil physics, soil microbiology and the processes of nutrient supply. Water quality is protected through a more integrated, catchment scale approach to water resource provision that recognises the variety of roles that water must fulfil. This theme of the research programme will provide a component of the knowledge required to allow Scottish agriculture to operate within the Common Agriculture Policy and to adapt to the final Agenda 2000 CAP reforms.

In general terms the programme of soil and water research is relevant to the environment and natural heritage end-use community because it is concerned with the management of soils and water, which are two of the fundamental components of all terrestrial ecosystems. The diversification of this portfolio of research has also increased its utility; issues such as environmental contamination by zoonotic pathogens, maintenance of biodiversity, and bioremediation of damaged environments can all be taken forward by this programme. This research will help policy advisors to model or consider the potential effects of proposals on the environment, including those emanating from the European Commission.

1.1 Soil Sustainability

1.1.1 Soil Physics

Knowledge of soil physical properties is the most basic requirement to improving our understanding of how soils function, enabling us to be in a position to manage them in a sustainable manner. A significant physical feature of soils is its apparent randomness, or heterogeneity. Building on research commissioned by SOAEFD in 1991, research is continuing that uses the theory of non-linear dynamics and fractal geometry to describe soil heterogeneity and the consequences for soil processes.

1.1.2 Soil Microbiology

Micro-organisms that inhabit soil play a vital role in making available nutrients that may be used by plants or lost from the soil system. Combining our understanding of soil physical properties with research on the composition and activity of soil microbial communities is important for developing soil management strategies that require less artificial nutrient input. SEERAD commissioned a 9-year programme (MICRONET) that is central to our research in this area. The MICRONET programme initially developed and applied molecular and community scale techniques to quantify the diversity of microbial populations. This work has shown significant differences in microbial populations from soils under different land uses. The research is being further developed within the programme to investigate the relationship between plants and microbial communities, and will contribute to the development of strategies for sustainable land use.

1.1.3 Soil Nutrient Cycling

The soil physical environment and the activity of soil microbial communities contribute to the cycling of nutrients within soils, their availability to plants and their potential for loss from the soil through leaching or gaseous emissions. The research programme on soil nutrient cycling focuses on transformations and movement of nutrients within soil to promote fertility and restrict nutrient losses.

1.1.4 Soil Protection

The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report The Sustainable Use of Soil (1996) stated that "soils should be accorded the same priority in environmental protection as air or water". This programme of research aims to build on the understanding gained from previous programmes of wastes and pollutants research to provide a framework for the protection of soils. Research includes assessment of the impacts of sewage sludge, organic micro-pollutants and heavy metals on soil fertility.

1.2 Water Quality & Catchment Management

Quality and quantity of water are both important attributes of this common resource. The need for research on water quality has been emphasised by the EU Directive "Establishing a Framework for Community Action in the Field of Water Policy". Member States will be obliged to analyse the characteristics of each River Basin District (catchment), including geological, hydrological and demographic characteristics. This Directive has shifted the emphasis of SEERAD-funded research activities in the area from field to catchment. Most of the projects address issues relating to water quality rather than provision, since this is more appropriate in a Scottish context. Recent Government and public concerns over Esherichia coli have led us to commission projects that specifically address the issue of how long E. coli from agricultural soils can survive, and whether they can contaminate private water supplies.

1.3 Long-term Environmen tal Change

SEERAD is a sponsor of the UK Environmental Change Network (ECN), which aims to study the effects of environmental change on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems through long-term monitoring. The Department sponsors the terrestrial ECN sites at Sourhope and Glensaugh.

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