Integrated digital soil sensing and mapping for sustainable soil management

地球B是不存在的;必须现在就实现粮食安全。只有优化管理有限的土地和耕地资源，才能满足日益增长的人口需求。然而，由于空间和时间的可变性，只有通过“更好的测量”才有可能“更好地管理"我们的土壤。与通过传统的取样和实验室分析确定土壤肥力的“现状”方法不同，近距离土壤传感技术提供了具有更详细的空间和时间细节的高质量土壤信息，以发展对投入资源的针对具体地点的管理，从而提高生产和保持环境的可持续性。然而，技术的发展速度快于我们的知识基础，因此限制了它们的采用。关键和及时的是，推进急需的PSS技术的可行性研究，以了解和表征土壤;开发一个框架，算法和理论，以测试，校准和验证各种PSS技术，以表征土壤特性及其在空间和时间上的变化;并制定可持续土壤管理的战略。在资助期间，我的核心研究将集中在综合近端土壤传感和数字土壤制图（长期目标）通过开发快速和非破坏性土壤表征的算法和理论（原位、非原位、移动中、现场）使用单个或组合传感器，土壤空间变异性的量化，代表性土壤采样，制图和管理区划定（短期目标）。这些问题将通过6个可检验的假设进行研究，由4个博士和4个硕士学生与4个本科暑期学生的帮助下，在未来5年。性别平等和多样化将是在农业食品生产系统颠覆性技术时代招聘和培训这些HQP的指导原则，这些HQP具有多学科知识，通过实地（安大略省10个实地），实验室，建模，绘图和优化研究。该研究计划的预期影响（国内和国际）在于开发快速和非破坏性土壤表征的理论和算法，量化土壤分布，并协助制定区域，省和国家层面的整体经济效益和农业和环境可持续性的管理决策。此外，采用这些基于技术的精准农业将通过优化加拿大有限的土壤资源管理来减少农业对我们环境的有害影响。这将为所有加拿大人带来间接但宝贵的长期社会、健康和环境利益。

There is no Planet B; food security must be achieved now. We will only be able to meet the demand of ever-increasing population through optimized management of our finite land and arable soil resources. However, due to spatial and temporal variability, `better management' of our soil is only possible through `better measurement'. Unlike the `status quo' approach to define soil fertility through traditional sampling and laboratory analysis, proximal soil sensing (PSS) technologies provide quality soil information with greater spatial and temporal details to develop site-specific management of input resources to improve production and maintain environmental sustainability. However, technologies are developing at a faster pace than our knowledge base, thus, restricting their adoption. It is critical and timely to move forward with much needed research on the feasibility of PSS technologies to understand and characterize soil; develop a framework, algorithms and theories to test, calibrate and validate various PSS technologies to characterize soil properties and their variability in space and time; and develop strategies for sustainable soil management. During the grant period, my core research will focus on integrated proximal soil sensing and digital soil mapping (long-term goal) through developing algorithms and theories for fast and non-destructive soil characterization (in-situ, ex-situ, on-the-go, on-the-spot) using individual or a combination of sensors, quantification of soil spatial variability, representative soil sampling, mapping and management zone delineation (short-term goals). These questions will be examined through 6 testable hypotheses in studies conducted by 4 PhD and 4 MSc students with the help of 4 undergraduate summer students over the next 5 years. Gender equity and diversification will be a guiding principle in recruiting and training these HQPs in the era of disruptive technologies in the agri-food production systems with multidisciplinary knowledge through field (10 field across ON), laboratory, modelling, mapping and optimization-based studies. The anticipated impact (nationally and internationally) of this research program lies in developing theories and algorithms for fast and non-destructive soil characterization, quantifying soil distribution and assisting in the development of management decisions for overall economic benefit and agricultural and environmental sustainability at the regional, provincial and national levels. In addition, adoption of these technology-based precision agriculture will reduce the harmful effects of agriculture on our environment by optimizing management of Canada's finite soil resources. This will lead to indirect but valuable and long-term social, health, and environmental benefits for all Canadians.