Agriculture represents a major driver of global biodiversity loss and change. A robust biodiversity monitoring system is essential to assess biodiversity trends and inform more sustainable agricultural practices and policies. Yet, biodiversity monitoring present major limitations in data availability, methods consistency, taxonomic and geographical coverage. To address these gaps, we conducted a literature review of farmland biodiversity indicators for habitats, soils, insects and birds. The review identified 176 distinct indicators, clustered by Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBV) and evaluated by a panel of experts on five quality criteria: relevance, spatial scalability, temporal dynamics, data availability, and methods standardisation. Biodiversity indicators generally scored high for relevance and spatial scalability, but presented major limitations in data availability and methods standardisation, impairing their ability to capture temporal dynamics across all EBV classes and biodiversity groups. Only Species Population metrics presented a good standardisation and, along with birds and habitat metrics, good temporal dynamics. Considering their evaluation, 26 high-performing indicators were selected to inform a scientifically robust, technologically feasible and cost-effective biodiversity monitoring system for agricultural systems. These provide a balanced coverage of EBV classes and taxonomic groups, combining traditional field methods and advanced technological tools for biodiversity monitoring (e.g., DNA and sensor-based approaches). To strengthen interoperability, selected indicators were compared to relevant European policies and integrated with the Europa BON framework, resulting in a harmonised set of 29 indicators. This harmonised biodiversity monitoring framework may assist the implementation of a results-based CAP and help translate biodiversity targets into action across European agricultural landscapes.

Nanoplastics (NPs) have been shown to be taken up by plants, raising concerns about their transfer into food webs and potential risks to human health. However, most existing studies have been conducted in hydroponic systems, which hardly represent realistic soil conditions and/or used fluorescent NPs, that do not allow for exact quantification. To quantify NP uptake and translocation by different crops under environmentally realistic conditions, 14C-labelled polystyrene NPs (~25 nm) were applied to intact soil monoliths at an environmental realistic concentration of 0.03% in the topsoil (0–10 cm). Winter barley (Hordeum vulgare) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa) were grown in spiked and unspiked monoliths; and plant samples were collected after five and nine weeks. Radioactivity in plants was quantified using liquid scintillation counting, additionally NP leaching through the soil columns was assessed.After five weeks, lettuce had taken up an average of 8.9 µg NP g-1 dry matter (DM), while winter barley accumulated 1.5 µg NP g-1 DM, corresponding to approximately 0.02‰ and 0.004‰ of the applied NP, respectively. After nine weeks, lettuce accumulated on average 2.5 µg NP g-1 DM and barley 2.0 µg NP g-1 DM, corresponding to 0.026‰ and 0.014‰ of the applied NP, respectively. Detectable radioactivity in the soil percolates further indicating NP transport through the soil profile.These findings demonstrate that NPs can be taken up and translocated by plants under realistic soil conditions and accumulate in edible tissues, highlighting a potential pathway for entry into the food chain.

Annually, coffee results in the emission of at least 90 million tons of CO 2 -equivalents. Here we provide a brief overview of the coffee export preparation process, with a focus on key sources of carbon emissions linked to production and transportation. We then present a road map that has the potential to significantly reduce the climate impact of coffee. We focus on the decarbonization of logistics and the production of biochar and other organic fertilizers from waste biomass. Together, these strategies could neutralize almost 3 million tons of CO 2 -equivalents annually. Finally, this analysis highlights current knowledge gaps and areas where further mitigation of greenhouse gases might be possible.

Permafrost-agroecosystems include all cultivation and pastoral activities in areas underlain by permafrost. These systems support local livelihoods and food production and are rarely considered in global agricultural studies but may become more relevant as climate change is increasing opportunities for food production in high latitude and mountainous areas. The exact locations and amount of agricultural production in areas containing permafrost are currently unknown, therefore we provide an overview of countries where both permafrost and agricultural activities are present. We highlight the socioecological diversity and complexities of permafrost-agroecosystems through seven case studies: (1) crop cultivation in Alaska, USA; (2) Indigenous food systems and crop cultivation in the Northwest Territories, Canada; (3) horse and cattle husbandry and Indigenous hay production in the Sakha Republic, Russia; (4) mobile pastoralism and husbandry in Mongolia; (5) yak pastoralism in the Central Himalaya, Nepal; (6) berry picking and reindeer herding in northern Fennoscandia; and (7) reindeer herding in northwest Russia. We discuss regional knowledge gaps associated with permafrost and make recommendations to policy makers and land users for adapting to changing permafrost environments. A better understanding of permafrost-agroecosystems is needed to help sustainably manage and develop these systems considering rapidly changing climate, environments, economies, and industries.

We are racing to manage a phenomenally increasing volume of organic wastes from urban, industrial and agricultural entities. Composting is one of the preferred ways to convert biodegradable wastes into nutrient-rich soil conditioners. The age-old technique of composting process is being improved with innovative scientific means. Biochar, a widely studied soil amendment, is a carbonaceous material that can hold nutrients from endogenic/exogenic sources. Biochar-compost, a biochar-complemented compost, may provide a wide range of benefits expected from both materials. Compost and biochar can improve physicochemical and microbiological attributes of soils by supplying labile and stable carbons, and nutrients. Compost may also supply beneficial microbes. This means biochar-compost is a synergic soil amendment that can improve soil quality, increase crop production, and remediate contaminated soils. Having stable carbon, large reactive surface with nutrient loads, biochar can interact widely with organic biomass and modify physicochemical and-microbial states during a composting process while making biochar-compost. Production and application methods of biochar, compost and biochar-compost are covered for agricultural and contaminated soils. Metal and organic contaminations are also discussed. A case study on making and field-testing a mineral-enhanced biochar and a biochar-compost to improve rice yield, is presented at the end. [GRAPHICS] .

The European Commission has set targets for a reduction in nutrient losses by at least 50% and a reduction in fertiliser use by at least 20% by 2030 while ensuring no deterioration in soil fertility. Within the mandate of the European Joint Programme EJP Soil 'Towards climate-smart sustainable management of agricultural soils', the objective of this study was to assess current fertilisation practices across Europe and discuss the potential for harmonisation of fertilisation methodologies as a strategy to reduce nutrient loss and overall fertiliser use. A stocktake study of current methods of delivering fertilisation advice took place across 23 European countries. The stocktake was in the form of a questionnaire, comprising 46 questions. Information was gathered on a large range of factors, including soil analysis methods, along with soil, crop and climatic factors taken into consideration within fertilisation calculations. The questionnaire was completed by experts, who are involved in compiling fertilisation recommendations within their country. Substantial differences exist in the content, format and delivery of fertilisation guidelines across Europe. The barriers, constraints and potential benefits of a harmonised approach to fertilisation across Europe are discussed. The general consensus from all participating countries was that harmonisation of fertilisation guidelines should be increased, but it was unclear in what format this could be achieved. Shared learning in the delivery and format of fertilisation guidelines and mechanisms to adhere to environmental legislation were viewed as being beneficial. However, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to harmonise all soil test data and fertilisation methodologies at EU level due to diverse soil types and agro-ecosystem influences. Nevertheless, increased future collaboration, especially between neighbouring countries within the same environmental zone, was seen as potentially very beneficial. This study is unique in providing current detail on fertilisation practices across European countries in a side-by-side comparison. The gathered data can provide a baseline for the development of scientifically based EU policy targets for nutrient loss and soil fertility evaluation.

Abstract. Black carbon (BC) plays an important role in terrestrial carbon storage and can improve sustainably soil fertility. Nevertheless, the accurate quantification of BC remains a critical issue to fully unravel the functions and dynamics of BC in soil. In this work, we explored the potential of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to identify, characterize and quantify charcoal in the soil of pre-industrial charcoal kiln sites (CKS) from a diversity of forest and cropland soils in Belgium and Germany. Pre-industrial charcoals and uncharred soil organic matter (SOM) demonstrated a distinct thermal signature that allowed their discrimination, with charcoal being more thermally stable than SOM. The DSC pattern of charcoals is characterized by one to three specific exotherms varying in size and position depending on soil conditions. From our data, we assume that the thermal moieties within charcoal depend on the strength of chemical bonds of C atoms (increasing with the degree of aromatic condensation and decreasing with weathering) and on the activation energy required to onset the combustion. Despite the specific thermal features of charcoal, its decomposition spans over a wide range of temperatures that overlaps with the thermal signature of uncharred SOM. This stresses the challenge of BC quantification in soil and hinders the use of cut-off temperatures to accurately quantify charcoal in soil. Therefore, charcoal-C content was estimated from the relative height of exotherms attributed either to the combustion of charcoal or SOM. For a selection of 45 soil samples, charcoal-C content estimated by DSC was compared to benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCA) pattern, a widely used method to quantify BC in soil. The two methods correlated strongly (R2 = 0.97), with BPCA-C representing about one fifth of DSC-derived charcoal-C. This remind us that operationally-defined BC content has an absolute quantitative value only if the recovery rate is controlled, which is very complicated for many case studies. Overall, our results demonstrate that dynamic thermal analysis is largely under-exploited despite providing rapidly and at low cost quantitatively interpretable information all over the continuum of soil organic matter.

Black carbon (BC) plays an important role in terrestrial carbon storage and can improve sustainably soil fertility. Nevertheless, the accurate quantification of BC remains a critical issue to fully unravel the functions and dynamics of BC in soil. In this work, we explored the potential of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to identify, characterize and quantify charcoal in the soil of pre-industrial charcoal kiln sites (CKS) from a diversity of forest and cropland soils in Belgium and Germany. Pre-industrial charcoals and uncharred soil organic matter (SOM) demonstrated a distinct thermal signature that allowed their discrimination, with charcoal being more thermally stable than SOM. The DSC pattern of charcoals is characterized by one to three specific exotherms varying in size and position depending on soil conditions. From our data, we assume that the thermal moieties within charcoal depend on the strength of chemical bonds of C atoms (increasing with the degree of aromatic condensation and decreasing with weathering) and on the activation energy required to onset the combustion. Despite the specific thermal features of charcoal, its decomposition spans over a wide range of temperatures that overlaps with the thermal signature of uncharred SOM. This stresses the challenge of BC quantification in soil and hinders the use of cut-off temperatures to accurately quantify charcoal in soil. Therefore, charcoal-C content was estimated from the relative height of exotherms attributed either to the combustion of charcoal or SOM. For a selection of 45 soil samples, charcoal-C content estimated by DSC was compared to benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCA) pattern, a widely used method to quantify BC in soil. The two methods correlated strongly (R2 = 0.97), with BPCA-C representing about one fifth of DSC-derived charcoal-C. This remind us that operationally-defined BC content has an absolute quantitative value only if the recovery rate is controlled, which is very complicated for many case studies. Overall, our results demonstrate that dynamic thermal analysis is largely under-exploited despite providing rapidly and at low cost quantitatively interpretable information all over the continuum of soil organic matter.

Accelerated global warming in the cold-climate boreal and Arctic regions facilitates intensification and expansion of agriculture. However, current boreal and Arctic governmental policies targeting agricultural development differ among regions creating the risk for serious consequences for provision of goods and ecosystem services. On June 29th, 2021 we organized a United Nations Summit dialogue on “Local and global food security shaped by northern agriculture” to complement a 2019 survey of the scientific community on boreal and Arctic agriculture. The 33 attendees concluded that while climate change might offer significant agricultural opportunities in boreal and Arctic communities such as increased food security, sovereignty, and economic development, this should not be considered lightly and without strong support for environmental sustainability as carbon and biodiversity losses are main risks. Attendees expressed that using existing agricultural lands more efficiently is likely a better option than converting forest to new agricultural lands. It was also confirmed by the attendees that consistent policies are needed across northern jurisdictions that, above all else, consider environmental consequences followed by local food needs and interests. We and the attendees propose that this can only be ensured through further research and effective dialogues which reflect the needs and concerns of all members of the northern communities, including farmers.

A stocktake study took place across 23 European countries to formulate recommendations for harmonising methodologies for delivering fertilisation guidelines. The stocktake revealed substantial differences in the content, format and delivery of current fertilisation guidelines across Europe. Substantial differences exist in soil test methods and how crop nutrient requirements are calculated; even between neighbouring countries, with similar soil types, cropping systems and within the same environmental zone. The general consensus from all participating countries was that harmonisation of fertilisation guidelines should be increased, in terms of shared learning in the delivery and format of fertilisation guidelines and mechanisms to adhere to environmental legislation. Some recent publications have assessed conversion equations that would enable data sets derived by different methods to be combined, but much research is still required. It was recognised in this study that it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to harmonise soil test data and agronomic requirements at EU-level due to soil types and agro-ecosystem influences. Nevertheless, increased future collaboration especially between neighbouring countries within the same environmental zone was seen as potentially very beneficial, and would contribute to the European Green Deal Vision. National guidelines for fertilisation planning and awareness of farm-gate N and P balances could help farmers optimise nutrient use, improve farm efficiencies and provide an overview of potential environmental risks on their farms. Additionally, advancement of precision agriculture technology, enabling greatly increased nutrient use efficiency at farm and field level through site-specific and precise fertiliser placement, and improved rate and timing of nutrient application, would be beneficial. Harmonisation or standardisation should not be an end in itself, but the main goal should be to increase nutrient use efficiency and minimise environmental impact.

Black carbon (BC) plays an important role in terrestrial carbon storage and can sustainably improve soil fertility. However, the accurate quantification of BC remains critical to fully unravelling the functions and dynamics of BC in soil. In this study, we explored the potential of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to identify, characterize and quantify charcoal in the soil of pre-industrial charcoal kiln sites from various forest and cropland areas in Belgium and Germany. Pre-industrial charcoals and uncharred soil organic matter (SOM) demonstrated a distinct thermal signature that could be used to distinguish between them, with charcoal being more thermally stable than SOM. The DSC pattern of charcoals was characterized by one to three specific exothermic peaks, varying in size and position depending on soil conditions. Our data suggest that the thermal moieties within charcoal depend on the strength of chemical bonds of C atoms (increasing with the degree of aromatic condensation and decreasing with weathering) and on the activation energy required to initiate combustion. Despite the specific thermal features of charcoal, its decomposition spans a wide range of temperatures that overlaps with the thermal signature of uncharred SOM. This stresses the challenge of BC quantification in soil and hinders the use of cut-off temperatures to accurately quantify charcoal in soil. Therefore, charcoal-C content was estimated from the relative height of exothermic peaks, attributed either to the combustion of charcoal or SOM. For a selection of 45 soil samples, charcoal-C content estimated by DSC was compared to benzene polycarboxylic acid (BPCA) abundance, a widely used method to quantify BC in soil. The two methods correlated strongly (R2=0.97), with BPCA C representing about one-fifth of DSC-derived charcoal C. This reinforces the view that operationally defined BC content has an absolute quantitative value only if the recovery rate is controlled, which is very complicated for many case studies. Overall, our results demonstrate that dynamic thermal analysis is largely under-exploited despite providing quantitatively interpretable information across the continuum of SOM.

EDITORIAL article Front. Sustain. Food Syst., 24 February 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.816726

Agriculture in the boreal and Arctic regions is perceived as marginal, low intensity and inadequate to satisfy the needs of local communities, but another perspective is that northern agriculture has untapped potential to increase the local supply of food and even contribute to the global food system. Policies across northern jurisdictions target the expansion and intensification of agriculture, contextualized for the diverse social settings and market foci in the north. However, the rapid pace of climate change means that traditional methods of adapting cropping systems and developing infrastructure and regulations for this region cannot keep up with climate change impacts. Moreover, the anticipated conversion of northern cold-climate natural lands to agriculture risks a loss of up to 76% of the carbon stored in vegetation and soils, leading to further environmental impacts. The sustainable development of northern agriculture requires local solutions supported by locally relevant policies. There is an obvious need for the rapid development of a transdisciplinary, cross-jurisdictional, long-term knowledge development, and dissemination program to best serve food needs and an agricultural economy in the boreal and Arctic regions while minimizing the risks to global climate, northern ecosystems and communities.

Under food security concerns and accelerated global warming, northern regions are becoming new agricultural frontiers. While diverse regional, national, and local policies support northern agricultural intensification and expansion through land use conversion, the scope and environmental consequences of northern agriculture are yet to be fully understood. As northern agriculture is poised to increase its role in both the local and global food production, its sustainable growth depends on a comprehensive understanding of opportunities and challenges. To evaluate the current perception of the status of northern agricultural research and the extent to which there is a need for a coordinated approach to its growth, we developed a targeted survey delivered online. Questions are aimed at revealing similarities and discrepancies in the awareness of northern agriculture and obtaining feedback on the need for a global synchronization of research and development. Out of 309 respondents, a curated dataset of 238 respondents was employed for analysis. This included respondents with knowledge and expertise in boreal and/or Arctic agriculture (41%), of temperate and/or alpine agriculture (37%), and other respondents (22%). Most are involved in agricultural (60%) or applied environmental (23.5%) sciences. Results revealed that scientists working in the northern regions are cautiously optimistic about climate change–driven expansion of northern agriculture while also realistic about the need for environmentally sustainable agricultural systems. Respondents with limited exposure to northern agriculture were more pessimistic about its expansion. Surprisingly, there was a limited and inconsistent knowledge of extant networks and research entities focusing on northern agriculture research. Nevertheless, there was a strong consensus that a concerted approach among multiple disciplines and across global regions would benefit northern agriculture and its ongoing growth. The survey's results illuminate for the very first time the need for better coordination and a greater emphasis on northern agriculture under climate change.

Various studies have established that feedstock choice, pyrolysis temperature, and pyrolysis type influence final biochar physicochemical characteristics. However, overarching analyses of pre-biochar creation choices and correlations to biochar characteristics are severely lacking. Thus, the objective of this work was to help researchers, biochar-stakeholders, and practitioners make more well-informed choices in terms of how these three major parameters influence the final biochar product. Utilizing approximately 5400 peer-reviewed journal articles and over 50,800 individual data points, herein we elucidate the selections that influence final biochar physical and chemical properties, total nutrient content, and perhaps more importantly tools one can use to predict biochar’s nutrient availability. Based on the large dataset collected, it appears that pyrolysis type (fast or slow) plays a minor role in biochar physico- (inorganic) chemical characteristics; few differences were evident between production styles. Pyrolysis temperature, however, affects biochar’s longevity, with pyrolysis temperatures > 500 °C generally leading to longer-term (i.e., > 1000 years) half-lives. Greater pyrolysis temperatures also led to biochars containing greater overall C and specific surface area (SSA), which could promote soil physico-chemical improvements. However, based on the collected data, it appears that feedstock selection has the largest influence on biochar properties. Specific surface area is greatest in wood-based biochars, which in combination with pyrolysis temperature could likely promote greater changes in soil physical characteristics over other feedstock-based biochars. Crop- and other grass-based biochars appear to have cation exchange capacities greater than other biochars, which in combination with pyrolysis temperature could potentially lead to longer-term changes in soil nutrient retention. The collected data also suggest that one can reasonably predict the availability of various biochar nutrients (e.g., N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Cu) based on feedstock choice and total nutrient content. Results can be used to create designer biochars to help solve environmental issues and supply a variety of plant-available nutrients for crop growth.

The sorption capacity and affinity of biochar for metals are both important attributes that determine biochar’s suitability as a soil amendment for contaminant mitigation, yet few analyses have considered both characteristics simultaneously. We present a systematic review of literature published between 2010 and 2018 to test the hypothesis that sorption capacity and affinity are affected by biochar properties, attributes of the metal contaminant, and experimental conditions, in that order. We used random forest (RF) and multi-objective optimization to analyze data of 559 individual Langmuir adsorption isotherms extracted from 133 studies covering the sorption capacity (Cmax) and affinity (KL) of biochar for 17 different metals, elaborated from six different feedstock classes, three different types of feedstock pretreatment, and five types of post-pyrolysis treatment. Highest sorption values were obtained for Pb(II), Cr(IV), and Cd(II). The feedstock used was the key determinant influencing biochar’s capacity and affinity to sorb metal contaminants (first and fourth most important variable in RF models for Cmax and KL, respectively) with best results obtained for biochar elaborated from nutrient-dense feedstocks (animal biowaste, sludge, and manure). Biochars that had both high sorption capacity and affinity were the result of a longer duration of pyrolysis; they had lower C and higher N and O content, as well as lower C/N and higher O/C and H/C ratios, higher pore volumes and higher pH. Applying some form of pretreatment was better than none, whereas chemical modification was the best of the post-treatment methods analyzed. This review demonstrates clearly that multiple parameters during the preparation process influence the effectiveness of biochar to immobilize metal contaminants. Future research that focuses on mechanisms and the underlying factors for the correlations observed should allow the development of biochar formulations that are even more effective at immobilizing metal contaminants in soils and sediments.

Soil is the most important terrestrial carbon (C) reservoir but is greatly impacted by land use change (LUC). Previous analyses of LUC impacts on soil C have focused on biophysical variables, leaving aside the influence of socioeconomics. The aim of our study was to determine global soil organic carbon (SOC) change patterns after LUC and to assess the impacts of both biophysical and socioeconomic factors that influence stocks of SOC after LUC simultaneously. This was done at a global scale using 817 sites from 99 peer-reviewed publications. We performed separate analyses for cases in which there were gains and losses of SOC. The best predictors of SOC stock changes were the type of LUC and predictors related to sampling depth, climate, biome, soil order, relief, geology, years since LUC, and primary productivity. However, also, socioeconomic variables such as indices of poverty, population growth, and levels of corruption were important. They explained 33% of the variability in SOC on their own and helped improve model accuracy from 42 to 53% when considered in combination with biophysical variables. SOC losses were highly correlated to the type of LUC and social variables, while SOC gains correlated most strongly with years since LUC and the biophysical variables. The analyses confirm that one of the biggest drivers of SOC loss is conversion to agroindustrial scale cropping, whereas with regard to the recuperation of SOC after LUC, the factor "time since conversion" emerged as the most important predictive variable, which must be better integrated in respective policy expectations. We conclude that policies should more than ever incentivize holistic approaches that prevent additional loss of native SOC, while at the same time promoting sustainable intensification of existing agricultural regions. Finally future investments on LUC to regain SOC should be aligned with efforts to alleviate poverty and corruption for their potential to achieve mutual gains in soil fertility and socio-economic parameters.

Our planet suffers from humankind’s impact on natural resources, biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems. Intensive modern agriculture with inappropriate inputs of fertilisers, pesticides and fossil fuel –based energy has increasingly added to human pressure on the environment. As a key element of our natural capital, soils are also under threat, despite being essential to provide food, feed, fibre and fuel for an increasing global population. Moreover, soils play a key role in carbon, water and energy cycles, highlighting their importance for biomass provision and the circular bioeconomy. Evidently, these new and complex challenges cannot be resolved effectively with existing knowledge and experience alone. These challenges require scientific research, interdisciplinary collaboration and networking to find context-specific and tailored solutions addressing societal issues of our time and facilitating the adoption of these solutions. The most effective approaches are based on the involvement of multiple actors from science, policy, economy, civil society and farming that have the same goal, work on the same societal issue, but have complementing backgrounds, expertise and perceptions. The European Joint Programme (EJP) SOIL is a European network of research institutes in the field of soil science and agricultural soil management that will provide science-based advice to practitioners and policymakers, at local, national and European level. The EJP SOIL aims to align and boost research, training and capacity building through joint programming activities co-funded by the European Commission and national research programs. This will reduce current fragmentation and help to find synergies in order to make a leapfrog in research on good agricultural soil management in three main areas: climate change mitigation and adaptation, production capacity in healthy food systems, and environmental sustainability. By joint programming, training and capacity building, EJP SOIL will also take into account the need for effective policy solutions, as well as the socio-economic conditions of all stakeholders in the agricultural value chain. Thus, a key focus of the EJP SOIL is to build and strengthen a framework for an integrated community of research groups working on related aspects of agricultural soil management. As part of this effort, EJP SOIL will co-construct with stakeholders a roadmap for agricultural soil research. To develop a structured roadmap, EJP SOIL works with a version of the knowledge management framework of Dalkir (2005). The EJP version uses four compartments: (i) Knowledge development, (ii) knowledge harmonisation, organisation and storage (iii) knowledge sharing and transfer, and (iv) knowledge application. The four segments are part of a cyclic process to enhance the development and use of knowledge on agricultural soils. Knowledge development comprises assessing new knowledge needs to achieve the expected impacts of EJP SOIL. Therefore, by involving multiple stakeholders, knowledge gaps across Europe will be identified to work towards the adoption of Climate-Smart Sustainable Agricultural Soil Management (CSSASM). Within the knowledge sharing and transfer compartment, the capacity of scientists, advisors, policy makers, farmers and other stakeholders will be strengthened. EJP SOIL will work to support networks and co-creation of new knowledge with stakeholder groups, stimulating innovation in CSSASM. The knowledge harmonization, organization and storage compartment of the knowledge framework ensures linkages with all stakeholders to guarantee data harmonization and standardization. The last compartment, application of knowledge, will be facilitated by creating better guidelines, awareness and capacity for Climate-Smart Sustainable Agricultural Soil Management adoption and by strengthening science-to-policy processes at EU and Member State level.

The global decline in invertebrate diversity requires urgent conservation interventions. However, identifying priority conservation areas for invertebrates remains a significant challenge. We hypothesized that aligning the conservation of invertebrate biodiversity with climate change mitigation ofer offers a solution. As both soil carbon storage and invertebrate biodiversity are positively influenced by plant diversity and productivity, a positive correlation can also be expected between SOC and invertebrate biodiversity. Drawing on >10,000 invertebrate observations organized into functional groups, and site-specific soil organic Carbon (SOC) measurements from Patagonia, the Peruvian Andes, and montane tropical rainforest, we examined the role of climate, soil, topographical position and land use for prediction of invertebrate biodiversity. We found that taxonomic and functional invertebrate diversity and abundance closely correlate with SOC stocks within ecosystems. Topographical position of sites, which was partly associated with SOC, was also important, whereas land use was of subordinate importance. We conclude that recent advances in predicting and mapping SOC can guide the identification of habitats within landscapes with high biodiversity and conservation value for invertebrates. Our findings stress the importance of linking global climate change mitigation initiatives that aim to preserve and restore SOC to efforts aimed at improving the conservation of invertebrates and the ecosystem services they provide, for the realization of mutual climate and biodiversity benefits.