Abstract
Soils provide many ecosystem services that are ultimately
dependent on the local diversity and belowground abundance of organisms.
Soil biodiversity is affected negatively by many threats and there is a
perceived policy requirement for the effective biological monitoring of
soils at the European level. The aim of this study was to evaluate and
recommend policy relevant, cost-effective soil biological indicators for
biodiversity and ecosystem function across Europe. A total of 18
potential indicators were selected using a logical-sieve based approach.
This paper considers the use of indicators from the 'top down' (i.e.
concerned with the process of indicator selection), rather than from the
'bottom up' detail of how individual indicators perform at specific sites
and with specific treatments. The indicators assessed a range of
microbial, faunal and functional attributes newer nucleic acids based
techniques, morphological approaches and process based measurements. They
were tested at 6 European experimental sites already in operation and
chosen according to land-use, climatic zone and differences in land
management intensity. These were 4 arable sites, one each in Atlantic,
Continental, Mediterranean and Pannonian climate zones, and 2 grassland
sites, one each in Atlantic and Continental zones. At each site we
sampled three replicated plots of contrasting management intensity and,
while the treatments varied from site to site, their disturbance effects
were quantified in terms of land use intensity. The field sampling and
laboratory analysis were standardised through a combination of ISO
protocols, or standard operating procedures if the former were not
available. Sites were sampled twice, in autumn 2012 and spring or autumn
2013, with relative costs of the different indicators being determined
each time. A breakdown of the cost effectiveness of the indicators
showed the expected trade-off between effort required in the field and
effort required in the laboratory. All the indicators were able to
differentiate between the sites but, as no single indicator was sensitive
to all the differences in land use intensity, we suggest that an
indicator programme should be based upon a suite of different indicators.
For monitoring under the European climatic zones and land uses of this
study, indicators for ecosystem functions related to the services of
water regulation, C-sequestration and nutrient provision would include a
minimum suite of: earthworms; functional genes; and bait lamina. For
effective monitoring of biodiversity all taxonomic groups would need to
be addressed.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 213 - 223 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Ecological Indicators |
Volume | 69 |
Early online date | 29 Apr 2016 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Print publication - Oct 2016 |
Bibliographical note
10233211026411
Keywords
- Climatic zone
- Ecosystem services
- Land use
- Logical sieve
- Soil fauna
- Soil microbiology