Soils are the foundation of agricultural production, ecosystem functioning and human well-being. Bridging soil knowledge gaps and improving the knowledge system is crucial to meet the growing EU soil policy ambitions in the face of climate change and the ongoing trend in soil degradation. The objective of this article is to assess the current state of knowledge, knowledge use and knowledge gaps concerning sustainable soil management in Europe. This study is based on interviews with 791 stakeholders and 254 researchers and on a comprehensive review of >1800 documents carried out under the European Joint Programme on agricultural soils. Despite differences in stakeholder groups, the conclusions are rather consistent and complementary. We identified major knowledge gaps with respect to (1) soil carbon stocks, (2) soil degradation and fertility and (3) strategies for improved soil management. Transcending these three areas, particularly the loss of soil organic carbon, peatland degradation and soil compaction, are most critical, thus, we stress the urgency of developing more models and monitoring programmes on soils. Stakeholders further report that insufficient transfer of existing soil research findings to practitioners is a hindrance to the adoption of sustainable soil management practices. In addition to knowledge production, soil knowledge gaps may be addressed by considering seven recommendations from the stakeholders: (1) raising awareness, (2) strengthening knowledge brokers, (3) improving relevance of research activities and resource allocation for land users, (4) peer-to-peer communication, (5) targeting advice and information, (6) improving knowledge access, and (7) providing incentives. We argue that filling and bridging knowledge gaps should be a priority for policymakers and the insights provided in the article may help prioritise research and dissemination needs enabling a transition to more sustainable soil management in Europe.

Open Research

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.

REFERENCES

Alrøe, H. F., & Noe, E. (2014). Second-order science of interdisciplinary research: A polyocular framework for wicked problems. Constructivist Foundations, 10(1), 65–95.
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Beaudoin, C., Joncoux, S., Jasmin, J.-F., Berberi, A., McPhee, C., Schillo, R. S., & Nguyen, V. M. (2022). A research agenda for evaluating living labs as an open innovation model for environmental and agricultural sustainability. Environmental Challenges, 7, 100505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2022.100505
10.1016/j.envc.2022.100505
Google Scholar
Bouma, J., de Haan, J., & Dekkers, M.-F. S. (2022). Exploring operational procedures to assess ecosystem Services at Farm Level, including the role of soil health. Soil Systems, 6(2), 34. https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/6/2/34
10.3390/soilsystems6020034
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Bouma, J., & McBratney, A. (2013). Framing soils as an actor when dealing with wicked environmental problems. Geoderma, 200, 130–139.
10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.02.011
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Brady, M. V., Andersen, M. S., Andersson, A., Kilis, E., Saarela, S.-R., & Hvarregaard Thorsøe, M. (2022). Strengthening the policy framework to resolve lax implementation of the Baltic Sea action plan for agriculture. Ambio, 51(1), 69–83.
10.1007/s13280-021-01573-3
PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar
Corbin, J. M. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory ( 2nd ed.). Sage.
Google Scholar
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches ( 4th edition, international student edition ed.). Sage.
Google Scholar
Dalkir, K. (2005). The knowledge management cycle. Knowledge management in theory and practice (pp. 25–46). Elsevier.
Google Scholar
DeCaro, D. A., Chaffin, B. C., Schlager, E., Garmestani, A. S., & Ruhl, J. (2017). Legal and institutional foundations of adaptive environmental governance. Ecology and Society: A Journal of Integrative Science for Resilience and Sustainability, 22(1), 1–32.
10.5751/ES-09036-220132
Web of Science®Google Scholar
EC. (2021). EU soil strategy for 2030: Reaping the benefits of healthy soils for people, food, nature and climate. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52021DC0699&from=EN
Google Scholar
EC. (2022). EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe. https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/soil-health-and-food_en
Google Scholar
ECA. (2021). Special report 16/2021: Common agricultural policy and climate: Half of EU climate spending but farm emissions are not decreasing. https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/DocItem.aspx?did=58913
Google Scholar
FAO. (2015a). Revised world soil charter. https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/e60df30b-0269-4247-a15f-db564161fee0/
Google Scholar
FAO. (2015b). Status of the world's soil resources: Main report. https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/c6814873-efc3-41db-b7d3-2081a10ede50/
Google Scholar
Ferreira, C. S., Seifollahi-Aghmiuni, S., Destouni, G., Ghajarnia, N., & Kalantari, Z. (2022). Soil degradation in the European Mediterranean region: Processes, status and consequences. Science of the Total Environment, 805, 150106.
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150106
CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar
Folke, C., Hahn, T., Olsson, P., & Norberg, J. (2005). Adaptive governance of social-ecological systems. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 30, 441–473.
10.1146/annurev.energy.30.050504.144511
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Frelih-Larsen, A., Herb, I., Tarpey, J., Olesen, E. J., Graversgaard, M., Claessens, L., Emoke, Madari, B., Razafimbelo, T., Kontoboytseva, A., Nciizah, A., Swanepoel, C., Katto, C., Verchot, L., Baldock, J., Grundy, M., Hongmin, D., Li, Y., McNeill, S., … Demenois, J. (2017). Deliverable D2.3 synthesis report on knowledge demands and needs of stakeholders. CIRCASA Project. https://www.circasa-project.eu/content/download/4156/39989/version/1/file/CIRCASA_D2.3_Synthesis%20report%20on%20knowledge%20demands%20and%20needs%20of%20stakeholders%20%282%29.pdf
Google Scholar
Hessel, R., Wyseure, G., Panagea, I. S., Alaoui, A., Reed, M. S., van Delden, H., Muro, M., Mills, J., Oenema, O., Areal, F., van den Elsen, E., Verzandvoort, S., Assinck, F., Elsen, A., Lipiec, J., Koutroulis, A., O'Sullivan, L., Bolinder, M. A., Fleskens, L., … Chivers, C.-A. (2022). Soil-improving cropping systems for sustainable and profitable farming in Europe. Land, 11(6), 780. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/6/780
10.3390/land11060780
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Heuser, D. I. (2022). Soil governance in current European Union law and in the European green Deal. Soil Security, 6, 100053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soisec.2022.100053
10.1016/j.soisec.2022.100053
Google Scholar
Huber-Stearns, H. R., Bennett, D. E., Posner, S., Richards, R. C., Fair, J. H., Cousins, S. J. M., & Romulo, C. L. (2017). Social-ecological enabling conditions for payments for ecosystem services. Ecology and Society, 22(1), 18. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26270112
10.5751/ES-08979-220118
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Ingram, J., & Mills, J. (2019). Are advisory services “fit for purpose” to support sustainable soil management? An assessment of advice in Europe. Soil Use and Management, 35(1), 21–31.
10.1111/sum.12452
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Ingram, J., Mills, J., Black, J. E., Chivers, C.-A., Aznar-Sánchez, J. A., Elsen, A., Frac, M., López-Felices, B., Mayer-Gruner, P., Skaalsveen, K., Stolte, J., Tits, M., & Skaalsveen, K. (2022). Do agricultural advisory services in Europe have the capacity to support the transition to healthy soils? Land, 11(5), 599.
10.3390/land11050599
Web of Science®Google Scholar
IPBES. (2018). Assessment report on land degradation and restoration. IPBES. https://ipbes.net/assessment-reports/ldr
Google Scholar
Keesstra, S., Chenu, C., Munkholm, L. J., Cornu, S., Kuikman, P. J., Thorsøe, M. H., Besse-Lototskaya, A., & Visser, S. M. (2023). The road towards climate smart and sustainable agricultural soil management: Knowledge needs and new research approaches. European Journal of Soil Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13437
10.1111/ejss.13437
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Keesstra, S., Mol, G., De Leeuw, J., Okx, J., Molenaar, C., De Cleen, M., & Visser, S. (2018). Soil-related sustainable development goals: Four concepts to make land degradation neutrality and restoration work. Land, 7(4), 133. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/7/4/133
10.3390/land7040133
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Klerkx, L. (2020). Advisory services and transformation, plurality and disruption of agriculture and food systems: Towards a new research agenda for agricultural education and extension studies. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 26(2), 131–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2020.1738046
10.1080/1389224X.2020.1738046
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Klerkx, L., & Leeuwis, C. (2009). Establishment and embedding of innovation brokers at different innovation system levels: Insights from the Dutch agricultural sector. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 76(6), 849–860.
10.1016/j.techfore.2008.10.001
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Klerkx, L., van Mierlo, B., & Leeuwis, C. (2012). Evolution of systems approaches to agricultural innovation: Concepts, analysis and interventions. In I. Darnhofer, D. Gibbon, & B. Dedieu (Eds.), Farming systems research into the 21st century: The new dynamic (pp. 457–483). Springer.
10.1007/978-94-007-4503-2_20
Google Scholar
Knierim, A., Boenning, K., Caggiano, M., Cristóvão, A., Dirimanova, V., Koehnen, T., Labarthe, P., & Prager, K. (2015). The AKIS concept and its relevance in selected EU member states. Outlook on Agriculture, 44(1), 29–36. https://doi.org/10.5367/oa.2015.0194
10.5367/oa.2015.0194
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Labarthe, P., & Beck, M. (2022). CAP and advisory services: From farm advisory systems to innovation support. EuroChoices, 21(1), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/1746-692X.12354
10.1111/1746-692X.12354
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Madureira, L., Labarthe, P., Marques, C. S., & Santos, G. (2022). Exploring microAKIS: Farmer-centric evidence on the role of advice in agricultural innovation in Europe. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 28(5), 549–575. https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2022.2123838
10.1080/1389224X.2022.2123838
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Markard, J., Geels, F. W., & Raven, R. (2020). Challenges in the acceleration of sustainability transitions. Environmental Research Letters, 15(8), 081001.
10.1088/1748-9326/ab9468
Web of Science®Google Scholar
McDonald, H., Frelih-Larsen, A., Keenleyside, C., Lóránt, A., Duin, L., Andersen, S. P., Costa, G., Aubert, G., & Hiller, N. (2021). Carbon farming, making agriculture fit for 2030.
Google Scholar
McPhee, C., Bancerz, M., Mambrini-Doudet, M., Chrétien, F., Huyghe, C., & Gracia-Garza, J. (2021). The defining characteristics of agroecosystem living labs. Sustainability, 13(4), 1718.
10.3390/su13041718
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Metzger, M. J., Bunce, R. G. H., Jongman, R. H. G., Mücher, C. A., & Watkins, J. W. (2005). A climatic stratification of the environment of Europe. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 14(6), 549–563. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-822X.2005.00190.x
10.1111/j.1466-822X.2005.00190.x
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Munkholm, L. J., Zechmeister-Boltenstern, S., Taghizadeh-Toosi, A., Knadel, M., Nørgaard, T., Arthur, E., Jensen, J. L., Pulido-Moncada, M., de Notaris, C., Fohrafellner, J., Miloczki, J., Inselsbacher E., & Kasper, M. (2021). Deliverable D2.6 set of reports on state of knowledge in agricultural soil management. https://ejpsoil.eu/fileadmin/projects/ejpsoil/WP2/Deliverable_D2.6_Set_of_reports_on_State_of_knowledge_in_agricultural_soil_management.pdf
Google Scholar
Orgiazzi, A., Ballabio, C., Panagos, P., Jones, A., & Fernández-Ugalde, O. (2018). LUCAS soil, the largest expandable soil dataset for Europe: A review. European Journal of Soil Science, 69(1), 140–153. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.12499
10.1111/ejss.12499
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Petrescu-Mag, R. M., Petrescu, D. C., & Azadi, H. (2020). A social perspective on soil functions and quality improvement: Romanian farmers' perceptions. Geoderma, 380, 114573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114573
10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114573
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Potokar, M. Č., Tomažin, U., & Škrlep, M. (2021). D1. 4. Report on available multi-actor (MA) project data–best practices European knowledge repository for best agricultural practices. EUREKA (pp. 1–109).
Google Scholar
Reed, M. S. (2008). Stakeholder participation for environmental management: A literature review. Biological Conservation, 141(10), 2417–2431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2008.07.014
10.1016/j.biocon.2008.07.014
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Ristić, R., Solomun, M. K., Malušević, I., Ždrale, S., Radić, B., Polovina, S., & Milćanović, V. (2020). Healthy soils—Healthy people: Soil and human health—The reality of the Balkan region. In The soil–human health nexus (pp. 223–248). CRC Press.
Google Scholar
Rust, N., Ptak, E., Graversgaard, M., Iversen, S., Reed, M., de Vries, J., Ingram, J., Mills, J., Neumann, R., Kjeldsen, C., Muro, M., & Dalgaard, T. (2020). Social capital factors affecting uptake of sustainable soil management practices: A literature review. Emerald Open Research, 2(8). https://doi.org/10.35241/emeraldopenres.13412.2
10.35241/emeraldopenres.13412.2
Google Scholar
Schismenos, S., Emmanouloudis, D., Stevens, G. J., Katopodes, N. D., & Melesse, A. M. (2022). Soil governance in Greece: A snapshot. Soil Security, 6, 100035. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soisec.2022.100035
10.1016/j.soisec.2022.100035
Google Scholar
Silverman, D. (2011). Interpreting qualitative data: A guide to the principles of qualitative research ( 4th ed.). Sage.
Google Scholar
Strauss, V., Paul, C., Dönmez, C., Löbmann, M., & Helming, K. (2023). Sustainable soil management measures: A synthesis of stakeholder recommendations. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 43(1), 17.
10.1007/s13593-022-00864-7
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Tanneberger, F., Moen, A., Barthelmes, A., Lewis, E., Miles, L., Sirin, A., Tegetmeyer, C., & Joosten, H. (2021). Mires in Europe—Regional diversity, condition and protection. Diversity, 13(8), 381. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/8/381
10.3390/d13080381
Google Scholar
Thorsøe, M. H. (2021). Deliverable 2.7: Report on the current availability and use of soil knowledge. https://ejpsoil.eu/fileadmin/projects/ejpsoil/WP2/Deliverable_2.7_Report_on_the_current_availability_and_use_of_soil_knowledge.pdf
Google Scholar
Thorsøe, M. H., Andersen, M. S., Brady, M. V., Graversgaard, M., Kilis, E., Pedersen, A. B., Pitzén, S., & Valve, H. (2022). Promise and performance of agricultural nutrient management policy: Lessons from the Baltic Sea. Ambio, 51(1), 36–50.
10.1007/s13280-021-01549-3
PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar
Thorsøe, M. H., Noe, E. B., Lamandé, M., Frelih-Larsen, A., Kjeldsen, C., Zandersen, M., & Schjønning, P. (2019). Sustainable soil management—Farmers' perspectives on subsoil compaction and the opportunities and barriers for intervention. Land Use Policy, 86, 427–437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.05.017
10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.05.017
Web of Science®Google Scholar
van Leeuwen, J. P., Saby, N., Jones, A., Louwagie, G., Micheli, E., Rutgers, M., Schulte, R. P. O., Spiegel, H., Toth, G., & Creamer, R. (2017). Gap assessment in current soil monitoring networks across Europe for measuring soil functions. Environmental Research Letters, 12(12), 124007.
10.1088/1748-9326/aa9c5c
Web of Science®Google Scholar
Vanino, S., Pirelli, T., Di Bene, C., Bøe, F., Castanheira, N., Chenu, C., Feiza, V., Fornara, D., Heller, O., Kasparinskis, R., Keesstra, S., Lasorella, M. V., Madenoğlu, S., Meurer, K. H. E., O'Sullivan, L., Peter, N., Piccini, C., Siebielec, G., Smreczak, B., … Farina, R. (2023). Barriers and opportunities of soil knowledge to address soil challenges: Stakeholders' perspectives across Europe. Journal of Environmental Management, 325, Part B, 116581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116581
10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116581
PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar
Veerman, C., Pinto Correia, T., Bastioli, C., Biro, B., Bouma, J., Cienciala, E., Emmett, B., Frison, E., Grand, A., Hristov, L., Kriauciuniene, Z., Pogrzeba, M., Soussana, J.-F., Vela, C., Wittkowski, R., Borsari, B., & Wittkowski, R. (2020). Caring for soil is caring for life: Ensure 75% of soils are healthy by 2030 for healthy food, people, nature and climatez: Interim report of the mission board for soil health and food. European Commission: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation.
Google Scholar
Visser, S., Keesstra, S., Maas, G., De Cleen, M., & Molenaar, C. (2019). Soil as a basis to create enabling conditions for transitions towards sustainable land management as a key to achieve the SDGs by 2030. Sustainability, 11(23), 6792.
10.3390/su11236792
Web of Science®Google Scholar

Citing Literature

Volume74, Issue6

November–December 2023

e13439

This article also appears in:

EJP SOIL Special Issue – Climate-smart sustainable agricultural soil management for the future

Sustainable soil management: Soil knowledge use and gaps in Europe

Correction(s) for this article

Correction to: Sustainable soil management: Soil knowledge use and gaps in Europe

Abstract

Open Research

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

REFERENCES

Citing Literature

References

Information

About Wiley Online Library

Help & Support

Opportunities

Connect with Wiley

Sustainable soil management: Soil knowledge use and gaps in Europe

Correction(s) for this article

Correction to: Sustainable soil management: Soil knowledge use and gaps in Europe

Abstract

Open Research

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

REFERENCES

Citing Literature

References

Related

Information