Using simple spectral technology to engage farmers in building soil health

据联合国粮农组织计算，全球有33%的土壤退化[参考文献]。在英格兰和威尔士，这种退化成本为12亿英镑，主要与土壤有机含量的损失（占总成本的47%）有关，通过对气候调节，水调节和质量的场外影响[Graves]。土壤科学家坚持认为，管理土壤有机质是提供生态系统服务的核心，如减缓气候变化、水储存和净化以及养分循环。至关重要的是，我们必须制定大规模的办法来解决这一紧迫问题。英国政府致力于到2030年实现可持续土壤管理[1]。随着退出欧盟，新的环境土地管理计划将寻求通过增加土壤有机质含量来支付公共产品，如增强生态系统服务。亲和水（AW）通过水工业国家环境计划（WINEP）提供水框架指令（WFD）驱动程序，重点是水质挑战，在过去的10年里一直与莱亚河流域的农民合作。这种景观尺度方法将土壤健康和管理作为取得有效成果的核心。我们将利用这个农民网络，结合光谱分析和统计方法，确定土壤的碳含量和其他土壤健康指标。研究问题-光谱数据能否提供可靠的高质量土壤性质信息，超越土壤碳，可以评估土壤健康？- 光谱工具能否为农民和水公司提供适当的信息，以改善集水管理？

The FAO calculates that 33% of soils are degraded globally[ref]. In England and Wales this degradation costs £1.2 billion, primarily mainly linked to loss of organic content of soils (47% of total cost), via off site impacts on climate regulation, water regulation and quality [Graves]. Soil scientists insist managing soil organic matter is central to supplying ecosystem services such as climate mitigation, water storage and purification and nutrient cycling. It is essential we develop landscape-scale approaches to address this pressing problem. The UK Government is committed to achieve sustainable soil management by 2030 [1]. With the exit from the EU the new Environmental Land Management Scheme will seek to make payments for public goods such as enhanced ecosystem services via increasing soil organic matter content. Affinity Water (AW) through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) for delivering Water Framework Directive (WFD) drivers focused on water quality challenges have been working with farmers in the River Lea catchment for the past 10 years. This landscape scale approach places soil health and management as the core of delivering effective outcomes. We will use this farmer network in conjunction with spectral analysis and statistical methods to determine the carbon content of soils and other soil health indicators. Research questions- Can spectral data provide robust high quality information on soil properties beyond soil carbon that can evaluate soil health? - Can spectral tools provide farmers and water companies with the appropriate information to improve catchment management?