FREACS

Background and Objective

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is complex and consists of multiple functional components, which are conceptually grouped into two kinetic pools (fractions): labile and stabile SOC fractions. Understanding the distribution of SOC in those two pools is key to predict SOC dynamics and estimate the potential of additional SOC storage. The aims of this project are i) gather and harmonise existing data from national and European soil inventories, ii) create new fraction data, iii) identify the most important driver of SOC fraction distirbution (using machine learning techniques), iv) regionalise the fractions across Europe, v) foster the understanding of the fraction proportions by additional chemical characterization of SOC. Finally, also C turnover models will be tested with the new datasets, and an innovative rating system for SOC and soil helath will be developed.

Approach

• Data collection (France, Germany, Finland, New Zealand, Europe)
• Fraktionation via wet sieving (size) and RockEval (thermal stability)
• VisNIR and MID-infrared spectroscopy and machine learning to create large datasets of fraction distribution
• Digital Soil Mapping for Europe
• Additional measurements to understand SOC cehmistry and how it relates to fraction distribution
• SOC modelling
• Develop a rating scheme