Visual soil evaluation (VSE) is a simple and fast method to assess soil quality in situ, and is becoming increasingly popular. Besides soil structure assessment, also other soil properties can be assessed such as grass cover, roots and earthworms. Yet, the full set of visual observations has not been properly evaluated for reproducibility and correlation with standard field or laboratory measurements, for several soil types. The objectives of this study were therefore to evaluate the reproducibility and the correlation of visual observations with closely related field or laboratory measurements. We used quantitative visual observations where possible, to enhance objectivity of VSE. The reproducibility and correlation of visual observations with standard measurements was evaluated for three soil types (sand, peat and clay) in the North Friesian Woodlands, The Netherlands. Reproducibility of quantitative visual observations was tested by comparing observations made by farmers and soil scientists, on the same soils. A linear mixed-effect model indicated that for all quantitative visual observations except for the depth of soil compaction, subjectivity due to the observers' background (farmer or soil scientist) had no significant effect on the observations. For assessment of relative soil quality differences between sites, the results suggested that a single observer can make the visual observations, when assessing the fraction largest soil structural elements, earthworms, gley mottles and the depth of soil compaction. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients indicated that visual observations of grass cover, root count, maximum rooting depth and the fraction largest soil structural elements correlated significantly with closely related field or laboratory measurements regardless of soil type. Maximum rooting depth, root count, soil colour, the fraction largest soil structural elements, and the degree of soil compaction only significantly correlated with field or laboratory measurements for specific soil types. Analyses showed that the correlation of visual observations with standard measurements were soil type dependent, suggesting that the evaluation of soil quality should also be soil type dependent.

In this forum paper we discuss how soil scientists can help to reach the recently adopted UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the most effective manner. Soil science, as a land-related discipline, has important links to several of the SDGs, which are demonstrated through the functions of soils and the ecosystem services that are linked to those functions (see graphical abstract in the Supplement). We explore and discuss how soil scientists can rise to the challenge both internally, in terms of our procedures and practices, and externally, in terms of our relations with colleague scientists in other disciplines, diverse groups of stakeholders and the policy arena. To meet these goals we recommend the following steps to be taken by the soil science community as a whole: (i) embrace the UN SDGs, as they provide a platform that allows soil science to demonstrate its relevance for realizing a sustainable society by 2030; (ii) show the specific value of soil science: research should explicitly show how using modern soil information can improve the results of interand transdisciplinary studies on SDGs related to food security, water scarcity, climate change, biodiversity loss and health threats; (iii) take leadership in overarching system analysis of ecosystems, as soils and soil scientists have an integrated nature and this places Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 112 S. D. Keesstra et al.: The significance of soils and soil science soil scientists in a unique position; (iii) raise awareness of soil organic matter as a key attribute of soils to illustrate its importance for soil functions and ecosystem services; (iv) improve the transfer of knowledge through knowledge brokers with a soil background; (v) start at the basis: educational programmes are needed at all levels, starting in primary schools, and emphasizing practical, down-to-earth examples; (vi) facilitate communication with the policy arena by framing research in terms that resonate with politicians in terms of the policy cycle or by considering drivers, pressures and responses affecting impacts of land use change; and finally (vii) all this is only possible if researchers, with soil scientists in the front lines, look over the hedge towards other disciplines, to the world at large and to the policy arena, reaching over to listen first, as a basis for genuine collaboration.

Visual soil examination and evaluation (VSEE) techniques are semi‐quantitative methods that provide rapid and cost‐effective information on soil quality. These are mostly applied at site or field level, but there is an increased need for soil quality indicators at farm level to allow integration with other sustainability indicators. The objectives of this study were to develop and apply a protocol for application of a VSEE technique at site level, to assess the VSEE observations against standardized laboratory analyses and to aggregate VSEE observations to farm level using an appropriate sampling design. The study was conducted at ten dairy farms in a reclaimed polder in the Netherlands with clay and organic soils. A stratified random sampling design was used to account for spatial variability in land use and soil series. VSEE was carried out using the Visual Soil Assessment approach. Results show that 81% of sites were assessed as good and the remainder as moderate to poor. For the clay soils, field observations of soil structure were significantly correlated with pH, bulk density, soil organic matter (SOM) and mean weight diameter of aggregates, whereas for organic soils, soil structure significantly correlated with pH, bulk density, organic C and SOM. The range in overall scores calculated at farm level was smaller than at site level, and most farms were assessed as good.

Dr. Simon Moolenaar is currently involved with the SKB and SNOWMAN programmes on sustainable land use and sustainable soil and groundwater management. Ecosystem services of the soil-water-system play a central role in the projects with consortia that relate science-policy-practice. Scale is national/regional/EU. At Royal HaskoningDHV Simon is working on the implementation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (BES) within companies (Corporate Responsibility; Corporate Ecosystem Services Review).

Summary The aim of sustainable heavy‐metal management in agroecosystems is to ensure that the soil continues to fulfill its functions: in agricultural production, in environmental processes such as the cycling of elements, and as a habitat of numerous organisms. To understand and manage heavy‐metal flows effectively, a consistent approach to modeling the flows is needed within the particular agro‐system under study. General aspects of heavy‐metal balance studies in agro‐ecosystems were described in part I of this study. In this article (part II), several European studies of heavy‐metal balances at varying spatial scales and in a variety of agro‐ecosystems are reviewed. Sectoral studies at the national and international levels provide information for economic analyses and generic regulations; however, policies implemented at these levels often ignore farm characteristics and individual management options. Field‐scale and farm‐gate balances give farmers specific feedback on effective options for better heavy‐metal management. Heavy‐metal balances could be incorporated in an environmental management system of certified farms. In this way, farm certification may well serve as a basis from which to develop policy to address environmental issues in agriculture.

Historical accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils has caused an increased leaching to shallow groundwater in the Netherlands. The elevated concentrations of metals like copper and zinc in shallow groundwater, causes problems to meet target levels in surface waters. Important sources for metal loads to soils are manure (derived from fodder and mineral supplements), fertilisers, sulphate in disinfecting footbaths and atmospheric deposition. In general, agriculture sources are important for the total loads to surface water for cadmium, lead and zinc. Although metal contents in manure have decreased, these metals still accumulate in agricultural soils. Leaching to groundwater and surface waters will therefore continue to increase in the future. To eventually diminish these heavy metal loads to surface waters, measures at the source are necessary. To accomplish effective measures, several steps have to be taken.

The control of heavy metals in such a way that soil functioning and product quality are not impeded is a prerequisie to sustainable agricutture. The current status of heavy metal accumulation in agricultural soils differs widely by region, by metal, and by agricultural system; levels of concern have already been reached in several regions (for instance, in the Netherlands and Australia). An analysis of the input and output fluxes of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in agriculture and of their resulting accumulation in agricultural soils is necessary to define strategies that ensure sustainable management of these metals in agricultural systems. In this article, general aspects of heavy‐metal balance studies are described for the agricultural sector within the broader context of substance flow analysis and industrial ecology. The approach chosen in this study is both precautionary and related to actual problem areas.

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVFEATURENEXTCritical Loads of Metals and Other Trace Elements to Terrestrial EnvironmentsSTEPHEN LOFTSCite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2007, 41, 18, 6326–6331Publication Date (Web):September 15, 2007Publication History Published online15 September 2007Published inissue 1 September 2007https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es0726106https://doi.org/10.1021/es0726106newsACS Publications. This publication is available under these Terms of Use. Request reuse permissions This publication is free to access through this site. Learn MoreArticle Views1209Altmetric-Citations34LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail PDF (567 KB) Get e-Alertsclose SUBJECTS:Elements,Metals Get e-Alerts

De geldt als een geaccepteerd instrument om de effecten van bodemverontreiniging op het bodemecosysteem te meten. In dit rapport zijn adviezen verwoord voor de verdere ontwikkeling en toepassing van de Triade, als methode om ecologische risico's van bodemverontreiniging te bepalen. Zij zijn gebaseerd op de ervaringen uit het Krimpenerwaard project en de discussies gevoerd in de workshop Praktijkervaringen met de Krimpenerwaard Triade op 12 september 2005

Two detailed applications of dynamic balance studies in agro-ecosystems are presented in this section in order to show the possibilities and limitations of the balance approaches that are described in Section II.4. The first case-study focuses on heavy-metal flows in arable farming systems. The second case study describes heavy-metal flows at the field and farm level for mixed farming systems. After drawing some conclusions from these applications, recommendations for further research and for policy are made.