Centre de ressources

A European stakeholder survey on soil science skills for sustainable agriculture

• 31/03/2024
• Ressource technique et scientifique
• Texte brut ou illustré

Abstract

The European Union’s soil strategy for 2030 has set the objective of achieving ‘healthy soils’ in Europe by 2050. To achieve this ambitious goal, dedicated soil science skills will be needed in the future. This article presents the results of a survey on soil science skills for the future conducted within the framework of the European Joint Program—EJP SOIL. The survey was distributed online in the 24 countries participating in the EJP SOIL. The skills were expressed as having knowledge in particular topics related to soils, practical know-hows...

Participatory soil citizen science: An unexploited resource for European soil research

• 14/03/2024
• Ressource technique et scientifique
• Texte brut ou illustré

Abstract

Soils are key components of our ecosystems and provide 95%–99% of our food. This importance is reflected by an increase in participatory citizen science projects on soils. Citizen science is a participatory research method that actively involves and engages the public in scientific enquiry to generate new knowledge or understanding. Here, we review past and current citizen science projects on agricultural soils across Europe. We conducted a web-based survey and described 24 reviewed European citizen science projects in the light of the 10 principles of...

Identification of soil-related professional profiles for the future from a survey of European stakeholders

• 10/03/2024
• Ressource technique et scientifique
• Texte brut ou illustré

Abstract

Current and future stakeholders and decision-makers involved in agricultural soil management need to develop soil-related skills to meet the challenges of food security and global change in the coming decades. The aim of this study was to identify professional profiles related to the management, conservation and restoration of agricultural soils on the basis of a European stakeholder survey and to relate these profiles to specific and generic skills. Stakeholders from 24 European countries, selected by the national hubs of the European Joint Programme on...

A review of existing tools for citizen science research on soil health

• 02/12/2024
• Rapports, Synthèses, Certificats
• Texte brut ou illustré

Soil-related citizen science projects have gained significant interest driven by the prominence of soil within public policy agendas. Amongst others, this includes the EU Soil Strategy for 2030, which contributes to the objectives of the EU Green Deal and proposes specific actions to increase citizen engagement on soils. Increasing citizen engagement is also one of the building blocks in the EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe.
In this work, we reviewed over 60 citizen science projects, across the globe, that considered soil health. We collected citizen science projects based on...

Changing gardeners’ point of view on soils with a citizen science project in Southern‑East France

• 18/04/2025
• Rapports, Synthèses, Certificats
• Texte brut ou illustré

Soil and the threats it faces nowadays are often underestimated by citizens. This is rather due to a lack of awareness than to a lack of interest. In France, the surface covered by private gardens is not negligible, as it represents 2% of the territory, which is four times larger than the area of natural reserves in the country. Therefore, ensuring the protection and preserva-tion of healthy soils in these areas is of great importance. Citizen science is a good way to raise awareness about scientific issues. Using a scientific and educational approach, the citizen science project “La...

Global Soil Security: Towards More Science-Society Interfaces. Proceedings of the global soil Sécurity 2016 conference

• 25/09/2018
• Ressource technique et scientifique
• Texte brut ou illustré

Towards More Science-Society Interfaces contains contributions presented at the 2nd Global Soil Security conference, held 5-6 December 2016 in Paris. These chapters focus on how to achieve soil security. This involves scientific, economic, industrial and political engagement to inform soil-users, policy makers and citizens with the objective of implementing appropriate actions. The contributions to this book address the five dimensions of soil security, namely: capability, condition, capital, connectivity and codification.

Communication présentée au symposium n° 42 du 16è Congrès Mondial de l’IUSS. Montpellieran1998. Réflexions sur les classifications des sols

• 01/12/1998
• Articles EGS / Ressource technique et scientifique
• Texte brut ou illustré

La classification des sols se heurte à deux difficultés majeures : (1) le sol n’est pas un objet défini, il s’insère dans un ‘ continuum écologique ‘, (2) la hiérarchie des unités oblige à faire des choix difficiles entre les caractères de base et leur importance relative. Trois types de classification ont été passées en revue : (1) les classifications hiérarchisées, qui n’évitent pas ces deux difficultés, (2) les référentiels classiques, qui ne les corrigent que partiellement, (3) les référentiels de type ‘ fuzzy ‘ (flou), qui sont plus proches de la...

Proposal for a Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience (Soil Monitoring Law)

• 05/12/2023
• Rapports, Synthèses, Certificats
• Texte brut ou illustré
• Adhérent

Document accompagnant la présentation orale de Mirco Barbero à l’occasion de la Journée Mondiale des Sols 2023 « Les sols dans le cycle de l’eau », à Orléans.

Soils within Cities – Global approaches to their sustainable management

• 03/08/2017
• Ressource technique et scientifique
• Texte brut ou illustré

Synopsis

As the proportion of people living in urban areas has been and still is increasing, Soils within Cities: Global approaches to their sustainable management undertakes to shed light on the role and importance of soils in cities, and stresses the need to consider and manage this unique component of the urban ecosystem on our way to build sustainable cities.
Edited on behalf of the International Union of Soil Sciences, this book is the result of a joint effort of the international SUITMA (Soils of the Urban, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas) working...

Earthworms – architects of fertile soils

• 03/01/2022
• Ressource technique et scientifique
• Texte brut ou illustré

Earthworms are usually the most abundant soil animals in agricultural soils. They are known to
improve physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. Together with soil microorganisms
they have a great potential to enhance soil fertility.
Although much is known about the general taxonomy and biology of earthworms, knowledge about their impact on soils, their interactions with other soil organisms and the influence of farming practices on their populations is increasing only slowly.
This guide summarises the knowledge on earthworms. It gives an overview of...

Why soil is one of the most amazing things on Earth | BBC Ideas

• 28/01/2021
• Ressource pédagogique / Ressource technique et scientifique
• Vidéo

This animated video briefly explains how soil is underestimated and how vital it is in so many ways.

It covers the role of micro-organisms, earthworms, fungi, soil protection, ancient soils and soil-related problems.

Soil and culture

• 01/01/2009
• Ressource pédagogique
• Texte brut ou illustré

Soil and Culture explores the perception of soil in ancient, traditional, and modern societies. It looks at the visual arts (painting, textiles, sculpture, architecture, film, comics and stamps), prose & poetry, religion, philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, wine production, health & diet, and disease & warfare.

Vers une base de données mondiale des propriétés des sols

• AFES / Ressource technique et scientifique / Webinaires
• Vidéo
• Adhérent

D. Arrouays est président de l’Association Française pour l’Etude des Sols, mais aussi coordinateur scientifique du programme international Global Soil Map et c’est à ce titre qu’il présente ce webinaire.

Le contexte de la cartographie des sols dans le monde est brièvement présenté. Il est fait mention des enjeux et des besoins en matière de données numériques sur les sols. Plusieurs propositions scientifiques sont évoquées, dont la proposition GlobalSoilMap. Les positionnements politiques et institutionnels de divers organismes et consortium...

Soil formation in temperate climates

• 21/06/2023
• Ressource technique et scientifique
• Texte brut ou illustré

How could rocks be transformed into loose materials that can support rich vegetation? What are the specificities of soils compared to rocks and unaltered formations studied by geology? This article will insist on their organization in aggregates and the presence of a multiform porosity favourable to an intense biological activity as well as to the circulation and storage of water. The formation of soils is the consequence of alterations of various geological materials (the “parent materials” formerly called “mother rocks”), under the action of precipitations and living beings,...