1. Working Party "Land Cover/Use Statistics“ of the Standing Committee for Agricultural Statistics Luxembourg, 20 October The "Soil Sample“ in the framework of LUCAS survey Luca Marmo European Commission Environment Directorate-General DG ENV.B.1 - Agriculture, Forests and Soil Unit BU-9, 4/ Brussels
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

2. A bit of history… Soil is practically a non-renewable resource
It performs crucial functions for human activities and ecosystems survival
Soils are increasingly degrading or irreversibly lost across the EU
The Community acquis is not sufficient
- Soil Thematic Strategy - Proposal for a Soil Framework Directive (22 September 2006)
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

3. The Soil Thematic Strategy
Lays down the objective of soil policy: the protection of soil functions across the EU
Sets out the four pillars of EU soil policy
Indicates the next steps at EU level
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

4. The four pillars of the Soil Thematic Strategy
Awareness raising
Research
Integration into other policies
Legislation
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

5. The next steps Lucas Soil Calls for research projects in FP7
Soil measures in Rural Development Plans for
Best practices to mitigate negative effects of sealing
Assess synergies with river basin management plans
Assess synergies with the protection of coastal waters
Integration of soil protection aspects in product policy to prevent soil contamination
Interaction between soil protection and climate change …
Lucas Soil
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

6. ?
Organic carbon content (%) in the surface horizon (0-30 cm) of European soils (Source: JRC)
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

7. Recent (controversial) findings
Mean loss of SOC of 0.6%/y in
13 Mt C lost every year from British soils
Industrial UK emissions have fallen by 13 Mt C since 1990
C loss and content is irrespective of land use, suggesting a link to climate change (Bellamy et al, 2005)
Climate change can at most account for 10% of C loss (Smith et al, 2005)
Land use and management probably main cause of C loss (Kirk et al, in print)
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

8. C losses can be reversed
Source: R. Lal (2008)
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

9. Report from June 2008 conference
Full report (in English) and executive summaries (in all EU languages) available at
environment/soil/conf_en.htm
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

10. LUCAS-Soil 2009 Strong partnership DG ESTAT, JRC, DG ENV
Collection of about 22,000 soil samples (10% of points) in the Member States covered by the 2009 survey
Shipment of samples to the JRC (Ispra) -> drying
Phisical/chemical analyses on soil samples by a single laboratory:
Mandatory: soil particle size distribution and coarse fragments content, soil organic matter, pH
Optional (in this order): CaCO3, P, N, K, multispectral properties, exchangeable cations
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

11. LUCAS-Soil 2009 timeline
Kick-off meeting with contractors: February 2009
Definition of shipment rules: March-April 2009
First soil samples to Ispra: June 2009
Last soil samples to Ispra: expected in November 2009
Selection procedure for analytical laboratory: Oct-Nov 2009
Shipment of soil samples from Ispra to lab: January 2010
Completion of analyses by laboratory: June 2011
Elaboration of results by the JRC: second half of 2011
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

12. In conclusion LUCAS-SOil is a statistical/research project
First attempt ever to measure SOC stock at EU level
With a harmonised sampling and analytical methodology
Will provide an initial baseline against which monitor SOC evolution with time (e.g. every 5-10 years)
Of fundamental importance for validating and further improving our C-cycle models (but also erosion etc.)
Possible link with post-Kyoto Protocol
Key information tool for policymaking
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009

13. Thank you for your attention!
Working Party “Land Cover/Use Statistics”, 20 October 2009